eejaydiva

Hi there, I have been a member on this site forever and haven't logged on in awhile. My son is 18 months old, he was a band baby, I had a great pregnancy, very little problems. I gained alot in my last trimester with him, and it's stuck around. I think hormones affect my band ALOT more after baby then they used to. I haven't had a fill in over a year because I go thru periods where my band is sooooo tight as it is, yet I am still hungry often and havne't lost weight in forever. My band will be super picky for 4-6 days in a row, then fine for a week or two, then bad again. It makes eating a total chore at this point. I was around 220 lbs after I had my son, then have crept back up to around 245. So I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for, maybe encouragement, maybe advice or tough love. We're gonna try to get pregnant with number 2 and I don't wanna balloon up...should I get a fill?

Hi guys! LOOONG time since anyone posted, so I dunno if anyone still checks this thread, but I will post an update, just in case, as I've been thinking about you all. My mother in law died on Jan 13th after 2 months in the hospital and 4 long years of battling cancer. It was rough and sad, but it was time. She was ready to go. Between having a baby, the holidays, losing a loved one, etc, I realized I had spent the last 7 months just not caring about myself. I weighed 219 when I left the hospital after having the baby in August, and I crept up to 240 by January....scary. I couldn't believe I was so close to my pre-band weight. So I scheduled a fill and started walking, trying to make good food choices etc. It was expensive and rough going to a new lap doc, as my original one moved out of state, but I just had to do something. Last Wednesday I had my first fill since August 08 and it was TIGHT! Too tight. After waiting 2 or 3 days to make sure it wasn't just needing to "settle in" and such, I went in yesterday for a slight unfill. She took out .4 cc of the 1 cc she had put in last week and the difference is amazing. I lost 8 lbs in that 6 days span, but was getting seriously dehydrated... Baby boy is great, 7 months old, sitting up, eating baby food, learning to screech at the top of his lungs, acting more and more like a little boy and less like an infant every day. Time flies! So now I'm at 232 lbs, 6.2 cc's, and trying to behave. I've been thinking about all of you out there, hope I hear an update or two in response! Hugs!

I kept my whole fill while preggo! My band baby is now a VERY LARGE FOR HIS AGE 4 months! He's not chubby, just long, gonna be tall!

You guys are all so great and supportive. It's hard having a "secret band". I couldn't show my mom my big pregnant belly due to surgical scars, which are almost gone, but still obvious, and I don't slime or PB all the time, but about once a week, I take a big bite if I'm being forgetful, or a certain food just won't sit well and I slime for 20 minutes at a time, so it can be hard to hide...sigh. I am planning to eat as well as possible thru the holidays...packing a healthy lunch and behaving during the work week and at night, but I wanna relax a bit on weekends and for Thanksgiving/Christmas. They are after all, celebrations, so I want to indulge, just not go crazy! My weeknights have been crazy as we have a family member near death in the ICU, so we spend all our time there when not working...hopefully this week will be smoother, he is showing slight signs of improvement.

WOO WOO! I am thrilled to see these little guys! LOTS of boys born! Me, FairyFacade, Cherry, LosingJusme, both of you guys...I think Heather may have had the only girl for awhile...am i forgetting anyone? Love the names, love the babies, I am so glad you guys are done with pregnancy for now! I am still struggling with weight loss, mainly because I'm not trying very much. I need a fill, but none of my friends or family are aware I have a lap band, meaning it's hard to hide it sometimes when I get tight, slime, etc. I'm very torn between needing to get this weight off me, but needing to keep my band open enough so that I can eat normally around them...my family is naturally thin and they are VERY outspoken about being against bariatric surgery, so it's alot of pressure on me...what to do?

Any news out there in band land of the babies/mommies that were ready to deliver soon? I'm waiting to hear!!

ShinyhappyMommy, hi there! Congrats on the baby! Aren't you a Dr Mel patient as well? I am. Mischievous, wow that must have been crazy to have all that activity and then nothing! I had a similar experience, but it was about 4 days before I was due, so I was psyched! It led nowhere and I ended up getting induced 10 days later...oh well. I had very little BH contractions during my pregnancy or any activity down there at all...just that one time. A good friend just had a C section this past Saturday because they thought her little girl was 9 lbs, but she came out around 8 lbs, 1 oz, decent size baby, but not huge. I think the docs have a tendancy to overestimate, as they did the same thing with our son. At least they didn't talk me into a c section! I would have been dismayed. In terms of hospital protocall for the flu, they said the same thing to us when we arrived to see her little one. NOBODY under 18, we had to sign a little waiver at the nurses station promising no flu symptoms or contact with sick people, and wash our hands in front of the nurses. My friend (the new mom) told me they said the same thing about only 2 visitors, but it didn't appear the hospital was enforcing that too much, at one point there were 4 or 5 of us visiting her at once....so maybe you'll get lucky and can see more than 1 or 2 peeps. Good luck!

Congrats newlife! YAY another baby on the way! My guy is 11 wks old today! I commend you for wanting to not gain much weight, but having a healthy perspective on it. If you obsess either way, it makes pregnancy no fun...and for most women, pregnancy is only something we once or twice in a lifetime, so it should be enjoyed and celebrated. I gained a decent amount of weight while preggo, though i'm sure it would have been double that if I weren't banded. I still have most of it to lose as well...however I am proud to be a mommy and feel that most days, I'm doing all this new crazy stuff right. The weight loss is frustrating, but I have a new perspective. HUGS!

I still have 22 lbs to lose before I'm at pre-pregnancy weight. Sigh...i have been bad all week too, so who knows if I've gained? Probably. Just dealing with hunger sucks. I know I need a fill, but I am not wanting to be tighter than I am right now! Lately I don't eat large meals, but I notice I get growly tummy after breastfeeding. It's food choices, pure and simple. Cravings for the naughty foods are worse at night, so I will try to work harder at that. The main reason they measure your tummy is simple, for easy, quick checks of growth. Your tummy measurement should match your week, so 37 cm should mean you're 37 wks along. However, the measurements are not as accurate if you weren't slender to start with, so don't worry too much about it. One of my pregnant friends has measured very large since about 24 wks, always measuring about 5 wks ahead. This has prompted several sonograms. Her last tummy measurement was done when she was 36 wks, however it showed her at 41 wks...she has not had a healthy pregnancy. WAY too much weight gain, fatty, salty foods, etc has resulted in gallstones and gestational diabetes. Her docs aren't too happy with her, as she was obese to start with. So basically, the tummy measurement is a good diagnostic tool to determine if other tests should be done. They estimate her baby girl at over 9 lbs right now, and she isn't due until Halloween...so it's looking like a C section might be the only option. I love her to death, just hope she's getting nutritional food for the baby. Even if the veggies are drenched in ranch, I wish she was eating more of them. Abe is 10 weeks old and doing great, smiling and laughing constantly! He is in the 75th percentile for height, so he will hopefully be tall, and 50th percentile for weight, so he's gaining perfectly. How are all of you out there? Excited for the new babies to arrive soon!

Grrr...I had been losing about 1 lb a week for the past month, slow but steady. Now today I am up 1.6?!?!? Why? I'm irritated because I can't buy new pants, as I refuse to do so until I'm closer to the 16 or 14 I was in when I got pregnant, but my 18's and 20's are too big...sigh. I am still breastfeeding quite a bit and very hungry most of the day, so what gives? What helped you guys shed the weight? I don't want to get a fill, because I'm already kinda tight.

Let's try to attach a pic or two..

Hi guys! It's time for a LONG overdue update. Heather, CKelly, Shrinknme, and everyone else, I am glad and lucky you have been posting updates, you are all on my mind constantly, I just don't have the time to get on here as much as I used to. Heather, I am SOOO sorry things got so bad with your band and general health before they figured out what was going on, thank God you're ok girl! Baby Abe is now almost 8 weeks old, I returned to work this past Monday and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, leaving him. My hubby took this week off work to help me feel better about leaving him...it's easier knowing he's at home with Daddy than at daycare, but Monday is coming and that's when he starts inhome daycare. We really like the provider we found, it's just a rough emotional thing to do. I love being a mommy! I'm already wanting more..we will probably start trying when he's close to 2 yrs old..it's amazing. I did struggle with the baby blues for about 3 weeks after he was born, not all the time, but just adjusting was rough. I had a lot of difficulty for several weeks with breastfeeding and lack of sleep, so it made everything harder. I saw a lactation consultant 4 times! I am proud I stuck with the breastfeeding, I don't think I was prepared for how difficult it would be to learn and do..I am constantly telling my 2 pregnant friends tips and such for when they deliver in a few months. Abe had difficulty latching on and we use a nipple shield, as well as giving him formula because I'm just not producing enough milk. So far, all is pretty good, I'm still adjusting to this major new life, money is tight due to now paying daycare and the medical bills are already rolling in, so it will be a tight couple of months until we are comfortable again. The biggest problem I'm having is band tightness...it started 2 or 3 weeks ago and I have it almost every meal...I take a few bites, get tight, slime, occasionally PB, but mostly just have gassyness and slime for up to an hour or two after I try to eat...it eventually passes and then I can eat most of that meal. I kept my fill for whole pregnancy, and I really don't want to unfill at all now, because I don't have much fill in there to begin with, and I'm averaging about 1 lb a week in weight loss, which I'm happy with..I am just annoyed with the band right now. Any tips? Sorry this was long! I missed your advice and support and hope all is well out there in banded preggo land!

So very saddened to hear about your miscarriage. I've had 2 friends who had 5 between them in the past year and a half while all 3 of us were trying to concieve. Both of them started TTC several months before me and hubby did, so I had a lot of guilt when I got pregnant and carried to full term while they were suffering losses left and right. They are both now pregnant, it's wonderful! My son will be the oldest of the 3 babies, but I know all the kids will be lifelong friends. One of the girlfriends is due on Halloween, the other on Valentine's Day! Women who feel guilt or responsibility over a miscarriage carry a large burden...there is nothing you did wrong. Have faith. This isn't medical advice or anything, but I know that the minimum amount of time before trying was at least 1 cycle for my friends...so after the physical recovery from the miscarriage, both were told to wait one normal period before trying...at least.

HIIIIII EVERYONE!!!! :thumbup::confused: Baby boy is here! MAJOR apologies for keeping everyone waiting so long, I have been 100% devoted to being mommy, and so it's been forever since I was on a computer at all. Abraham Andrew was born 8/3/09 at 10 am. We checked into the hospital the nite before at 11 pm, me completely nervous and dreading the induction, but it went pretty good. I was 80% effaced and 2 cm dilated, so they pretty much got me in bed, broke my water right away, and then tried to put a scalp node on the baby...OUCH. The doc tried 2x to put the scalp node on the baby's head, but both times he clipped it to my cervix instead, so the nurse convinced him to leave it alone until I got the epidural. I got the epi and felt pretty good all night, didn't feel contractions at all after that! The roughest part of labor was that baby had WIDE shoulders like his dad, so he got a little stuck inside my pelvis. I pushed super hard for over 2 hours and they were getting ready to talk to me about C section, but I just was dying to get it over with, so I pushed like hell and got him out. I only tore a little bit, and am feeling good, but the docs said I will never get to 40 wks again, they will C section or induce me at 37 weeks because I have a narrow pelvis...who knew?? He was 7 lbs, 7 oz, 21 inches long, so he will be a tall guy! He has a head full of thick dark hair, just a beautiful little guy. That's it for me! I'll check in super soon, and upload a pic or two...hugs!

No baby yet...had some really productive contractions thru the night on Wednesday, then nothing yesterday all day or thru last night. So, it's now Friday morning, meaning I have about 2.5 days to go into labor on my own, or we check into the hospital on Sunday evening to start the induction. Stripping the membranes didn't work for me, unfortunately. It's uncomfortable for sure, but only lasts a few seconds and is comparable to when they check you for dilation, so it was doable for sure. I'm kinda resigned to this now being a waiting game, trying to stay upbeat but knowing that induction is getting ever closer. Wish my water would break! Wish my contractions would get started! But the truth is I feel quite fine today...no twinges, cramps, aches, nada. Heather, you look great! How is the baby? Thank you all so much for your support and letting me whine. Less than 3 days of pregnancy left for me, so I'm gonna try to deal.