Pregnant with Baby #4 (and I Just Turned 41)
May 11, 2009 by Dr. Heather
Filed under Babies, BEST OF BABYSHRINK, Motherhood
Dear Readers,
This post isn’t an emailed question from one of you. It’s from me, your BabyShrink.
I can finally come out with the news I’ve wanted to tell you for 18 weeks now: I’m pregnant!
This has come as somewhat of a surprise to us, although a very welcome one. Many of you recall we originally went through infertility treatments to get this ball rolling, but needed no help with babies #2, 3, and now 4. So here we are: a 4-for-1 deal!
My age is not the least of it. As an old lady of 41, my OB chart has “Advanced Maternal Age” stamped all over it. I’ve gone through several rounds of genetics screenings, and all the anxiety that goes along with it. I had killer morning sickness (uh, ALL-DAY sickness) for several weeks. But the worst part has been keeping the secret: from you, my coworkers, and even my kids. But we finally feel safe — at least safe ENOUGH — to break the exciting news.
So thanks to all of you for your patience; I’ve been remiss in posting quite as often as I’d like, and my response time to your questions has stretched out a bit. But I’ve been accumulating some heavy-duty experience that I hope will continue to help make BabyShrink fun, interesting and new.
Depending on your interest and questions, I’ll be posting some of the things I’ve learned these past several weeks. I expected to have a CVS (for early chromosomal testing) — and didn’t. Then I expected an amniocentesis — and didn’t have THAT, either. But there are some wild new screening procedures that helped us though that decision-making process, and these are all pretty new. I look forward to your questions about how to decide when, if, and how to make decisions about genetic testing in pregnancy, and all the strong emotions that can go along with the process.
And in the meantime, I’ve discovered that my good-old standby baby bottles — the ones that have gotten us through 3 babies — are no longer considered safe (due to the BPA). So I’ve got to learn about all the newest STUFF out there as well….and I LOVE baby “stuff”. So I’ll need your help in deciding what to buy (and what to skip) this time around.
I’ll also be asking for advice from those of you with large families. Having #4 feels exciting — but daunting. This is uncharted territory in both my family and my husband’s, so we need all the help we can get!
Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement, and I look forward to going on the rest of this exciting journey with you.
Aloha,
Dr. Heather
The BabyShrink
Congratulations Heather. This couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. That baby is going to be loved like mad.
Wow! Congrats!
Congratulations!! I may have some good “stuff” for you.
Congratulations!
Yay! Congratulations!
We can’t wait for the baby to come. And I have a little toy for the baby and it’s a tiny little rattle that shakes and has tiny little balls in it. We were celebrating my teachers baby that is in her tummy right now and it is going to come out in June. So I am keeping the baby rattle for your baby when it comes out.
I love you, Aunt Heather!
CONGRATS! I had my first baby when I was 41 (that was last December), and you know what? Your age doesn’t really matter if you decide to take good care of yourself. Watch the blood sugar is all I can say from my own experience (and the endocrinology mafia I had on my heels the entire time). And yeah, we had an amnio because, being a risk manager by profession, I don’t do well with the “likelihoods” that the screening tests give you and wanted certainties.
As for baby stuff (I was going to put a post on my blog about that, as well) that I found indispensable:
1. A Graco car seat–because in an absolute pinch, it has the side slots that allow you to use it without the base, too.
2. A Snap-N-Go that fits the carseat. No bulky stroller required.
3. A Miracle Blanket. We used it only twice, but oh man! were we grateful!
4. Freddy the Firefly. Seriously. Best toy ever.
5. A Gugguli doll as a transitional object. Best doll ever.
6. Haba wooden rattles that are made in Germany, not in China, so you won’t have to worry about lead in the paint.
7. Natursutten bite rings, for the same reason as #6.
8. The Tiny Love Gymini Super Deluxe Lights and Music–baby has loved it since she was 4 weeks old.
9. Baby Einstein Move & Go Music Mirror–same reason as #8.
10. Mr. Whoozit toys.
11. For diapers, Seventh Generation. Same with wipes. We wanted to love the GDiapers, but the plastic inserts weren’t air permeable, so defeated the idea of preventing diaper rash.
12. A good breastpump, if you choose to breastfeed–Medela, hands down.
13. If you choose to formula feed, we use Earth’s Best Organic because, in contrast to the Similac Organic, it doesn’t have cane sugar in it. Also, if you choose to formula feed, add some Udo’s Choice Infant Probiotics to the bottle once a day. It helps with any formula-related poop issues.
14. A Baby Bjorn. Accept no imitations, however cool they sound.
15. A Hotsling in your size. Less complicated than anything else.
16. Seventh Generation baby detergent.
That about covers it, I think. Again, congrats!!! And don’t let the naysayers tell you that AMA will predispose you and your baby to all sorts of crap (NOT TRUE!).
Oh, and I forgot to say: I’m hoping to get ready for #2 soon.
Seriously, AMA? My *ss.
Heather,
Congrats!! That is so wonderful!! I am so excited for you and your family!
Sincerely,
Sharon Graf
Thank you all so much for your congrats and Charlotte for the fabulous advice! I am so excited to get back into the swing of all the baby gear again, even though our youngest is 3, so much has changed since then.
And yes, being “AMA” (advanced maternal age) is somewhat daunting, and I joke about it with my doctor, but I do feel like I have the benefit of experience “under my belt”, so to speak. So that’s a good thing.
But I’m so excited to be able to share our news with you all!!
Had my second baby at 41. Am tired because oh the sleepless nights but I love love love LOVE that baby.
I’m just truly happy for you and your family!
Congratulations! Wonderful news
And I second the Miracle Blanket, although Swaddle Me’s worked really well for us, too!
THANKS for the Miracle Blanket recommendation, ladies. I have always tried — unsuccessfully – to swaddle our babies. They’ve all been 8+ pounders, and no baby blanket could keep them contained. Yet I believe the research that shows it helps in the early months, and I’ve seen it work with other babies. It seems like the Miracle Blanket might just work for us. Can’t wait to try it!!
Congratulations Heather!!!
I think we’re done kidswise, but if I were to find myself pregnant with #4, I’d probably buy a new carseat and crib (because of the changing safety requirements that probably would have made my 11.5-year-old ones unsafe). Also, I would look at old album pics of my kids and search my memory to see which paraphernalia seemed to get the most use.
Some of my kids’ best friends’ mothers are women who married late in life and had all their kids AMA, as did my grandmother with her youngest (also at age 41).
Congratulations Heather! I just had my first baby who is now 3 months old and 4 kids has always been my ideal number, so let me know how it goes!