[zelda]

Ladies, I want to respond individually to everyone, but right now I am just looking for some advice.

I feel SO anxious!

The past day or two, I have just started to have a lot of high anxiety related to this pregnancy. I am able to fall asleep, but I wake up after only 5 or 6 hours of sleep and don't feel rested. Yesterday I got the beginnings of a cold which of course made me paranoid (is it the flu?!)...I'm terrified of miscarriage, terrified of the reality of the situation, anxious over being a "good" mom, etc. etc. etc.

The anxiety has only gotten really bad in the past day or two...at first I was thrilled...I'm still happy, please know this. Only now I've got this huge enormous thing to be anxious about, and it's exhausting.

I was in therapy years ago for anxiety and panic attacks. I've always been a "worrier" and Type A...but over the years I've improved. This pregnancy has suddenly spiraled me into just a state of anxiousness.

Oddly enough, work is helping. When I'm at work, I'm distracted, very busy, and unable to let my brain runaway with itself.

Is this normal? Am I hurting the baby? Erg...I feel so foolish. I'm thinking of calling the Employee Assistance Program as part of my work and just talking to an online counselor.

I know some of the TTC women may be like, "Shut up, Zelda! You finally got pregnant!" And that's how I feel on one level...but on another level I feel so much anxiety related to the pregnancy itself...I SO want this baby and there is so much stress tied into it all.

Any advice??

[ellenevenstar]

Ahhhh,
but this is even more interesting: http://www.csl.com.au/docs/244/641/Panvax%...0Sept2009,0.pdf

Especially this bit:
Use in pregnancy: (Category B2)
The safety profile of the vaccine in pregnant women is unknown. Healthcare professionals should assess the potential benefits and risks of administering Panvax® H1N1 Vaccine to pregnant women on a case by case basis, taking into account Australian Health Authorities’ recommendations.

[ellenevenstar]

Great news Michelina. That all sounds extremely promising.

Funnybird, glad you're finally going to find out more information. I always write down questions otherwise I forget them. I hope what you find out sustains the hope you felt when you posted yesterday.

Melora, that sucks, you poor thing. I quite enjoyed charting and found it interesting but at the same time often frustrating when I couldn't interpret what was going on.. i laughed out loud at Fookie's description. But I kept going so that if I did get to the point where I needed expert help I would have all the records to take with me. Don't deny the crappy feelings but try to do things to cheer you up. My husband and I would have a consolation prize each month - ("if we're not pregnant this time, we're going out for dinner at ... and I'm having cocktails, goddamnit.")

Ananke, I'm also a big fan of vaccinations and definitely plan on having my children vaccinated according to schedule. I have received the seasonal flu vaccine at work every year it's been offered except this year. But since my sister-in-law (well, my 20 year old brother's long term girlfriend) got sick last year, I'm afraid I've become a lot more skeptical of 'new' vaccines, and less trusting of what health authorities are telling me. Thanks for your advice on live/dead vaccines - I've looked into this a bit. Hope your slight overexertion hasn't set your recovery back and that Fallon is having a smiley sort of day today!

Fookie, try to stay open to the hope / possibility when it comes along. Glad you're having a girls weekend which will speed up some of the waiting time!

I went researching today on the Australian Government website. The Panvax vaccine is being rolled out in Queensland, where I live, as of today and I know I should go and get it but I'm frankly terrified. Here's what I found:

"Pregnant Women and Breast feeding mothers
Why am I identified as a priority?
As a pregnant woman, you are more susceptible to complications of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza than the general population. This puts both you and your baby at risk. Around the world, and in here in Australia some pregnant women who have caught this disease have miscarried, gone into premature labour or died.

Am I getting Panvax® H1N1 vaccine to protect myself or my baby?
Both; vaccination will protect you and your baby. If you are vaccinated during pregnancy your baby will have protective antibodies for the first few months after birth.

Is it safe to be vaccinated at any stage in my pregnancy?
Yes. Influenza vaccines are safe during all stages of pregnancy. With seasonal flu, vaccination is normally offered in advance to women planning a pregnancy, and to pregnant women. As a pregnant woman, you are at risk of severe complications if you catch the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza, so vaccination is strongly recommended. If you are worried about the Panvax® H1N1 vaccine you should discuss the potential risks and benefits of having it with your health care provider.

What are the risks to my baby and what are the risks to me?
Like all individuals receiving a vaccine, expectant mothers may experience similar side-effects, including a sore red arm, slight headache or mild temperature. Panvax® H1N1 vaccine is not a ‘live’ vaccine and cannot give you or your baby influenza, and is no greater risk to you or your unborn baby than seasonal vaccine.

Should I get vaccinated if I'm breast feeding?
Yes, by getting vaccinated you are reducing your chances of getting this flu and of passing it to your baby. There is no evidence that the vaccine affects breast milk, and because it contains no live virus you will not get flu. Your immunity after vaccination will not be passed to your baby through your breast milk.

I've heard there is a preservative called thiomersal in Panvax® H1N1 vaccine. Is it safe if I'm pregnant?
Yes. There is no evidence that thiomersal is harmful to pregnant women or their babies. Thiomersal is a commonly used preservative in multi-dose medicines such as Panvax® H1N1 vaccine, which contains a small amount of thiomersal to keep it safe in the vials.

Pregnant women are strongly encouraged to protect themselves and their baby by getting the vaccine. "

[Fookie]

(((((Melora))))) Uck this roller coaster's the fucking pits, isn't it? I'm so sorry you're feeling so down right now. I have ridiculously low temps (though no hormones issues) and wake up so often during the night that charting looks like a demented rorschach. "Fookie, tell me what you see." ... "Well, Doctor, that looks like a barren field, and oh there's a carot and some tadpoles with no sense of purpose..." Well, I know that every month when the spotting starts, there's pretty much nothing I need to do but let myself feel sad, bitter, miserable, angry, frustrated etc. etc. So I won't try to pretty this up too much, and from what you've written you already know that the old cliché is true ... ride it out, this too shall pass.

Ananke, I'm amazed you're already walking so far after the surgery. You're a force to be reckoned with! I love your Fallon stories, even when they involve puking on your boob!

Michelina, woohoo! Do you think doctors get secret pleasure from knowing we're languishing in agony imaging the worst and attaching every negative meaning possible to every word they utter? I'm so pleased that you got good news and have such a lovely follicle. And it is great news about your gran too.

Funnybird, those statistics are so incredibly encouraging. Good luck tomorrow afternoon. You're very wise to bring in a list of questions. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow afternoon.

Michelina, Mr. F. is also very glad that I have such good online support. One of the things that I have realized about this struggle is that it is teaching me how very much in love Mr. F. and I are and just how amazing he is. I will die a thousand deaths if I never get to know him as a father.

Ellen, I can't believe you're already at 16 weeks! That's wonderful and incredible. Time has truly got the better of me these days. Wasn't it June, yesterday? Great news about winning the delivery lottery! I'm sorry, I don't remember where you are, but I've seen the differences here between the hospitals here that have a birth centres (not sure if that's the correct term here) and those that don't and I'd be skipping for joy too! Until I read your post yesterday I hadn't heard of any issues with Gardasil. Then sure enough today, I read a news story about a young teen dying in Britain shortly after getting the shot. WTF? They're still trying to figure out if it was for sure the shot etc. But holy shit.

Eyelet, keep the Elowyn stories coming. I admit to not being ga-ga for infants, but babies and toddlers kill me. I just love discovering their personalities, quirks, and ticklish spots. When the sense of humour starts coming out, I have eyes for no one else.

Nothing much to update with me. At a baby shower on Friday, another colleague announced her pregnancy. My darling friend at the office msn'd me not to worry b/c her baby would be ugly and stupid. Ha ha. Don't get me wrong, it was done to make me laugh, and it did. I'm of course happy for the newly-announed colleague, but my friends sometimes worry about me. The sillyness of her MSN was what made me laugh. Both parents are gorgeous and insanely smart, so the idea of the baby being the total opposite was somehow humorous (you know what I mean right?). After my crazy-lady CM last wednesday we "did it" four straight days. It's not like we haven't done this before, but I can't help being the sucker that hopes that on this "break" month from the fertility clinic, we might actually get pregnant. Le sigh. I'm setting myself up for misery. By my calculations, I did an OPK on Wednesday and the line was either as dark, or very SLIGHTLY less dark than the test line, I ovulated Friday. So I am 4dpo and trying not to obsess. I have a nice weekend away with two girlfriends this weekend, so that should help with passing the time.

[ananke]

I'm a big fan of vaccinations and get the flu shot most years since I worked at a school library then a public library and they both offered it to staff. I didn't get it while pregnant though and I didn't get it again this year. There's a difference between live and dead vaccines - most flu shots are live and not given to pregnant women for that reason (same with gardasil/hep b which is why I didn't get those while I was TTC/pregnant).

I'm slowly recovering from the surgery - did too much walking yesterday and got to that 'oh god I'm just going to sit on the side of the road until Mr A gets home and get him to pick me up' stage even though I was about 500m from home. I got there though. Fallon had a screaming sort of day - at one point she was feeding, looked up at me smiling around my nipple then threw up ALL OVER ME and started screaming. It was odd. She's been waking up crying as well but when she's awake she's so even tempered and lovely.

eyelet, when I was in hospital a woman I know sent me this site abour lactogenic foods, just in case I started having issues with milk - http://mobimotherhood.org/MM/article-diet.aspx

melora - I spotted a fair bit with my little one - from about week 4 til week 6 on and off. It was terrifying. I had an ultrasound at week 5 and they couldn't tell anything apart from that there was a fertilised egg and no bleeds. Then week 8 we got the heartbeat. So it is possible.

funny, I'm glad you're going in armed! I always forget to talk about a few things when I go see the maternal nurse.

[Cristine]

Ellen, I also do NOT want to find out the sex of my baby but my husband is even more adamant than I am about that. I know that I will get weak at times and want to know but Mr. C will be right there beside me saying NO!! All my friends encourage me to find out so the shower isn’t generic yellow & green, along with his/ her bedroom & clothes! But I just like that added element of surprise (besides, green is my favorite color!). That’s crazy about your sis-in-law & Gardasil! I feel the same way you do; these people are telling me to not take Advil, Aleve & my prescription acid reflux pills while pregnant… but it’s ok to inject an illness directly into my bloodstream without knowing any potential side effects??? Frightening!! Someone here had said awhile back that those who get annual flu shots might be more susceptible to contracting H1N1 (again, I set aside teachers & hospital staff as a special circumstance) but I haven’t gotten a flu shot in about 8 years so I feel like I might have that advantage on my side… I might add that it was the last flu shot I ever had because it gave me the worst flu I’ve ever had and then I had a horrible incapacitating reaction to the flu medication they gave me!

Michelina, that is wonderful that your grandma is doing well!! And I am so glad that the ultrasound provided you such positive results & reinforcement!!! You can pee on a stick after you know you’re pregnant, just so you can stare at it and take pictures!

Funny, I think you have every reason to be hopeful! It seems like the odds really are in your favor, but it’s of course a great idea to be armed with any & all questions!

Melora, sorry you’re feeling so defeated right now. I think everyone here can relate and agree about how emotionally destructive this process is. My temps are low too and I recently read that can indicate hypothyroid disease (when thyroid doesn't produce enough hormones), but I’m trying not to freak out about that yet since I’m only in month 5 of TTC.

[melora]

i have like fifteen minutes in between work projects so i won't get to everyone (what the hell, employment duties? don't you know there's babytalk to be had?) but i'll see what i can do:

funnybird - good luck at yr chemo fact-finding appointment...i don't know the whole background of what's going on with your guy but if you ever want to talk about what it's like to have a honey with a chronic crappy medical condition, i'm your girl. (caveat: my own situation did not end well, but you are not allowed to project any of that onto YOUR situation. ours was just a freakish one-off.)

Michelina - yay grandma, yay corpus luteum!

eyelet - it's nice to hear that the flashing icons chill out a bit post-partum, and i loved reading your description of your kidlet and her laughing. what a joy.

zelda - ok, i guess this is what i get for going back and forth between GMAT prep and babytalk, but i read this: "I'll be just finishing up my 6th week at that time (if I'm doing the math right). However, there's no exam." and i thought holy crap, you have to take a TEST? is it about, like, charting stuff? is it multiple choice? are there study guides? and it seriously took me a few minutes to process what you were actually talking about. this does not bode well for my cognitive skills, i'd say. but it is wonderful to do a little vicarious living through your current situation...and believe me, if i ever got a positive on a HPT, i'd get like six more and make some installation art or something. for serious.

my update: meh. started spotting yesterday; definitely more pinkish and pre-period looking than the spotting that happened 6 or 7 dpo. i wasn't planning to test before tomorrow or thursday, but when the spotting happened i figured wtf, let's just confirm this right now. negative, of course; this is CD 25/14 dpo so it's hard for me to believe that it was a false negative. i'm just not pregnant. what's weird to me is the symptoms i was having - which i am still convinced were not psychosomatic - combined with the fact that my period seems to be starting two or three days early. i'm not buying the "implantation bleeding redux" theory that my hopeful brain was trying to sell me (go pedal that stuff on the blinkie boards, sucka); i think it's just my body continuing its life-long tendency to be ridiculous.

so yeah, i cried a bunch last night. i just feel so defeated. one of my parents has some serious health stuff going on - serious like "just a matter of time" serious - and we got more really bad news last week and i just wanted so badly to be able to say hey, you gotta stick around because i'm gonna need you to babysit in June. no such.

in re: TCOYF, i bought it last year and spent months charting BBT and ferning and CM (to the extent that i could), and i was never, ever able to make it make any sense. my charts looked almost exactly like the anovulatory examples in the book, but we knew through hormone testing (and 2 chemical pregnancies and ovarian pain) that i WAS ovulating, and i was ovulating at right about the same time each cycle, it's just that my body didn't feel like having a nice temp spike or anything. my naturopath friend posited that it might be because my core body temperature is naturally ridiculously low and/or the results were being affected by the psych or cardiac meds i'm on (which can do all kinds of weird shit to your body). but whatever the reason, i just couldn't make that stuff work, which made the book really frustrating (and not that helpful for figuring any post-potential-conception stuff since everything is timed in relation to the thermal shift that i couldn't find).

i looked at it again after you guys brought it up, and i might try charting again and see what happens, but mostly right now i'm just feeling cynical and not in the mood to read about how every single other woman in the universe got pregnant within two weeks of charting, etc. sorry, i'm wicked cranky right now. thankfully, it's time to get back to work. suppression of emotional distress through quantitative analysis, holla! i <3 you, spreadsheets.

[funnybird]

Oh Michelina, that's wonderful news. I'm so happy and relieved for you. Fingers crossed for this month!

It looks as if we'll FINALLY find out about Architect Boy's chemo tomorrow afternoon. I'm compiling a list of fertility related questions to ask the doctor in my head. It seems fairly inevitable that even the low dose will damage his swimmers, so I want to know things like; for how long, and how will they monitor his fertility so we know when we can start trying to conceive again? And if the damage turns out to be permanent, what fertility treatments will the NHS pay for? I read recently that 80% of men who are treated for testicular cancer who want to become fathers will go on to do so (70% naturally and 10% through fertility treatment) so I'm hopeful.

[Michelina]

Oh and I told Mr. M about the site the other day and even mentioned my dream about Zelda coming true. He was intrigued by the dream, and was happy I have connected with you Busties. He has been absolutely wonderful through this stressful time.

[Michelina]

Thanks for all the positive thoughts about my ultrasound and grandma.

I heard good news yesterday on both accounts. My grandma made it through surgery and is comfortable. She has dementia so it will be hard for her to understand this. But she seems to be doing pretty well.

My ultrasound was done by another gyne and read by mine. She said I had a fantastic corpus luteum (which I got to see - very cool!) in my left ovary as predicted. My endometrium lining was a perfect 9.7mm and a D pattern, which is expected after ovulation. She said that perhaps my ultrasound last week was just a little too early to see the pattern she expected. She gave me my progesterone prescription and told me she has a lot of hope for us. She wants me to get blood hcg tests on day 14 (or roughly) from now on and only stop the suppositories if it's negative. So no more peeing on a stick for me. Of course I have a few tests left so I'll likely get rid of those just for shits and giggles.

I started my progesterone yesterday and don't find it too bad. The pills are way smaller than I expected. Now I am worrying the thing will fall right out!

Oh and by the way I am being seen by my gyne at a fertility clinic. My gyne's specialty is infertility and fertility treatment. I saw her in the hall wishing a couple good luck and she just seemed so warm and excited for them. I have no idea what their situation is, but it was a nice sight. I am confident I am in good hands.

Ellen, glad to hear you are doing well. When is your due date? I should just keep a list of all the due dates and then I won't have to keep asking! I just love it - all these pregnant Busties at different stages. The sexing issue would be tough for Mr M and me too. I wouldn't want to know and he would. I don't know who would end up winning that one! Great news about getting into the birth centre.

Zelda, glad to hear you chatted with your midwife about the vaccine. Does it seem surreal that only a week ago you found out you were pregnant? Does it seem like a ton has happened in that week?

Eyelet, you have a good suggestion for us TTC'ers about the vaccine. I know they are doing flu shots today at my work, but due to my bad reaction in 2007, I think I'll chat with my GP first about it. Babies of your daughter's age are just wonderful. I love that age when they are really responding to their world. Glad to hear all is going well.

[ellenevenstar]

Hi everyone,
Thinking of you heaps today Michelina. Hope your appointment is going well.
Zelda, maybe there is something to eyelet's nausea heredity theory - I've had hardly any nausea and my mum didn't have much either with any of her three pregnancies.
Cristine, the bump would be concerning but glad you don't seem to be stressing too much about it. Here's to a sober Pearl Jam concert!

Things are going swimmingly. I'll be 16 weeks on Thursday. Yesterday I got a call from the hospital to tell me that I had been 'picked out of the hat' to get into their birth centre! I'm so excited! I didn't expect to find out until the end of the week. I'm going in there for my booking-in appointment with the midwives on Thursday.

24 days until my morphology scan! My husband wants to find out the sex but I'm still not sure. I like the mystery and surprise factor. I can't see that there is any compromise option here. One of us will have to concede! The fact that I'm not as dead against it as he is dead for it makes me suspect that this is going to be me - damn!! I did a couple of silly old-wives-tales quizzes on the internet when I was bored the other day and they told me there was a 77% chance of a girl!!

It's been very interesting to read everyone's thoughts on the H1N1 vaccine. This will become available in Australia TOMORROW and I've heard on the news that they're encouraging pregnant women, elderly people and children to come in and get it first. When I think about it rationally, I know in my head that it is probably a very good idea but I have a strong gut feeling that I don't want to do it.

Reasons I want to get it:
- I work in a school. Germy Germy.
- Government is actually encouraging pregnant women to get it.
- Rationally, my head tells me it's the smart thing to do.

Reasons I don't want to get it:
-exposing my chickadee to what is at this stage (to me) unknown weirdness . (I should do more research)
-It's spring. 'Flu season' is over. Chance of exposure getting lower every day.
-My sister-in-law became very ill and nearly died (and is still unwell) after receiving gardasil (cervical cancer) vaccine last year - this H1N1 vaccine is similar in that it is new and there is limited evidence of potential side effects.
- I'm now in the habit of watching so carefully everything that goes into and onto my body - so asking for a needle to be stuck right into me to inject something unknown into my blood just seems counter-intuitive (is this the same as the first item on this list?)

What I'm going to do is try to research as much as possible in the meantime, and then when I have my next GP check after my morphology scan on the 22nd October, talk to him about it.

Zelda, fellow teacher, here's what I did during winter (several of my students were quarantined with Swine Flu and two of these I'd been working closely with just the day before they had to take extended leave). Be vigilant about your handwashing, use antibacterial gel regularly, wipe down your desk, computer, telephone with wipes at least once a day. Ask students to wipe their desks regularly, always have a box of tissues in your classrooms so students can use them instead of sneezing everywhere and wiping their noses on their hands, etc., I also had a box of tissues and hand gel in my staffroom , keep your distance from kids as much as possible - I used to hold my breath when walking through big groups of students!

Eyelet, it's beautiful to hear about the delight you take in Elowyn. Good luck with the milk-making!

[eyelet]

Hey Zelda-If you're going to be tired and sick, it probably won't kick in for another couple of weeks. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones that doesn't get morning sickness. I had it bad, but not having it doesn't mean the pregnancy is not solid. I think it's completely inherited. My mom, sister and grandmother all had it too. So that should be a good predictor.

Thinking about this H1N1 thing that Zelda is dealing with--I wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea for those of you TTC to get it now, so you don't have to worry about it later.

Things still going fine here. Still the daily obsession with how to make more breastmilk...I'm immersed in that community now the way people get immersed in the TTC one. Very supportive bunch though, and no crazy flashing icons or excessive abbreviation. Still I wouldn't use the F word there as readily as I would here.

Between 3 and 4 months is such a delightful time with a new baby. My girl is really coming into her personality, laughing all the time and keeping everyone around her laughing too. The looks of complete adoration I get are unlike any love I've ever experienced.

Good thoughts for everyone.

[zelda]

Michelina, I hope you will be able to post tonight and let us know how the appointment went! Thinking of you...

I called the midwives practice I will be going to. Mr. Z and I have an orientation on October 7th at 2 pm. I'll be just finishing up my 6th week at that time (if I'm doing the math right). However, there's no exam. Just a get to know you orientation with other moms to be. I'm guessing (should have asked) that my first real exam will happen two weeks after that at 8 weeks. Guess I'll find out how to proceed at the orientation.

I asked about the flu vaccine. The woman I spoke with told me that their protocol is to administer the vaccines, but they advise against any administration prior to 12 weeks. So that made me feel better. I know now not to get the vaccine at school this week, and I'm happier knowing my bean will be a little bigger by the time I get the shots.

I also told her that I was feeling pretty much no symptoms - just a few mild things here and there. She laughed and said, "So, you want to be tired and throwing up?" She said it in a really nice, funny way. I told her no and laughed, but I said it would make it seem more real. She said it's perfectly normal to feel no symptoms right now and that if I give it a few weeks I will have more symptoms than I care to have! :-)

[Cristine]

Michelina, how is your grandma? And yes I am nearing the end of my LP, I am either 6 DPO (fertility friend) or 8 DPO (my guess), if I'm right then my cycle would be 29 days this month and I should start my period on Sunday... we'll see! Are you bringing anyone with you today? Did you write down all your questions yet? I'm so glad you'll be starting the progesterone, I really hope this will be your month!!

[Michelina]

Fookie, Zelda is right - you are a wealth of knowledge. And a huge support! Thanks for the info and the reassurance that there is nothing proven about this triple stripe thingy. When do you go in for your next IUI? My doc did gonnorhea and clamydia testing for me last week, and said she wanted to rule it out due to the bleeding, but mentioned it needs to be done for both of us anyway in case we go to the IUI route. I think we probably will if we haven't conceived by about May or June next year. That is sort of our tentative plan.

Zelda, I would be the same with the Googling. It's true, Julie, there was probably something to be said for the way pregnancy used to be. My mom had all three of us without so much as an ultrasound. But nowadays we know everything, see everything (more so now with 3D ultrasound!) and worry about everything (or so I can only imagine.) Good luck with breaking your habit. Try thinking of something else you could do everytime you have a Google craving and make yourself do that instead. What did you decide to do with Boot Camp? Can you get a refund?

Cristine, where are you in your cycle now? It seems you are always near the end of your luteal phase as mine begins.

I have my ultrasound at the end of the workday and I will likely start my progesterone today. I am a little nervous!

[julie124]

zelda, to quote my mom: "Sometimes I think there were some advantages to not knowing all the things they know now [about pregnancy]." The Google is both a blessing and a curse, I tell ya. Hopefully this forum will be a good outlet for you...I remember it feeling like it was really too early for me to be doing anything to prep for the baby in the early days, and it was easy to get sucked into the Google when I had a bit of free time. Writing notes to the baby in a journal helped me a lot (although the early entries make me laugh...half of them are about food, and most of them mention how very not-pregnant I was feeling at the time).

Michelina, so sorry to hear about your grandmother's hip. Thinking good thoughts for her....and for you as usual...

Today I spent some time cleaning out my drawers and closet...sort of a variation of my usual summer-to-fall switchout of clothes. It was a little different in that this time I tried to figure out what of my non-maternity clothes I could still wear this fall and early winter. I was worried that it would be depressing, but actually it was kind of nice...I found a couple of tops that actually are quite cute with my belly, and it was kind of liberating to put a few things in the sell/giveaway pile because there was no way in hell I was going to fit into them post-baby unless I went on some sort of Betty Draper starvation diet. Soooo not interested in doing that.

[ananke]

zelda - Mr A threatened to take away my laptop while I was pregnant. I just couldn't stop googling.

As for vaccines I work in a public library and the government provides us with the vax free each year and is also providing the H1N1 free to health workers and pregnant women BUT my ob. asked me not to get the flu vax while I was pregnant. I was 2nd/3rd trimester at that point though and the H1N1 does seem to hit pregnant women harder. So I'd ask your ob.

[zelda]

Fookie, you are such a wealth of knowledge and always so kindhearted. I love having you on this thread.

Okay...I am making a promise here and now on this public forum that I WILL STOP GOOGLING SHIT.

Fine. Now I have promised it and you can all hold me to it.

It was not so bad during the work week...but now, home over the weekend with not much to do, I can't help but Google, "Rate of miscarriage" or "Rate of miscarriage in week 5" blah blah blah. I swear to you, I truly thought I would get that positive and float off into pregnancy happy land. Heh!

I did read one helpful article that said the two most important things a pregnant woman can do are 1) limit her commitments so as not to get overstressed and 2) stop reading about scary (rare) pregnancy stuff.

So I am promising all of you now and expecting that you ask me how I am doing in an effort to keep me honest...NO MORE GOOGLING.

:-)

[Fookie]

Michelina, just another quick post about the triple stripe:

http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=infertility101&id=1 (International Council on Fertility Information Dissemination)

"What should my uterine lining be at ovulation and at implantation?
As you approach your LH surge, it should be above 6 mm, ideally between 8 and 12 mm. (If it is much more than that, it may be advisable to ask about a hysteroscopy or sonohysterogram to see if perhaps there is a polyp inside the uterus). You want to have a triple stripe pattern around the time of the LH surge and ovulation. Towards the time of implantation, you want to have a more integrated HH or IE pattern. The triple stripe occurs in response to estradiol; the HH/IE conversion is in response to progesterone. It should also be noted that, although most doctors prefer the above pattern of linings, there is no conclusive research on whether a better pattern actually results in higher pregnancy rates. "

Make sure you read that last sentence
I'm glad you're feeling better.

[zelda]

Oh, Funny, I forgot to answer your question...we have had a *few* confirmed cases of H1N1 at my school, but they actually occurred over the summer months when school was not in session.

I've decided not to get the free regular flu shot they are giving out at school next week and just wait until I go in and see my doctor. I've decided to buy some of those Lysol ready wipes and at the end of the day (or maybe every other day) ask my students to grab a few and wipe down the tables and chairs, etc. That and regular hand washing and other common sense tips I hope will protect me until I see my midwife and see what she has to say.