HeatherO

Speaking of tiny diapers . . . My sister, who was due on June 5th, had her baby on April 23rd. He was all of 2 pounds 13 ounces at the time . . . so definitely a little guy. I was there for the c-section and saw him in the special care nursery soon after. His diaper looked like a napkin it was so tiny. I remember when I held him right after delivery, he weighed so little I could have been holding an empty hand towel. He was absolutely adorable but also petrifying being so small, especially in that miniscule diaper.

I am really worried about breast feeding as well. I tried with my son but it was unpopular at that point in time. I got mastitis and was really sick for a few days with a high fever and I was encouraged to discontinue feeding him. I am really going to give it my all to breast feed successfully. Colostrom is easily expressed now so I am hoping it is a positive sign. I need to buy a breast pump but I was thinking about waiting a little bit first just in case. The better ones are $250+ and if for some reason BF'ing doesnt work out . . . that money could be used for formula rather than an expensive, unused machine buried in a closet. I am hoping that my initial problems with BF'ing were related more to being young, naieve and easily persuaded to discontinue. Before my son was born, I just thought you just put "baby A" up to "tab B1" or "tab B2" and it all kinda happened automatically. It really wasn't easy and I actually needed a lot of help. I also never had nipples that really protrude all that much so perhaps that was part of the problem. CherryBlue, we are due around the same time . . . we should keep in touch to see how it is going with this aspect of motherhood. Laura, I am sorry you ran into difficulties with latching/milk coming in. I know it can be frustrating.

I found the same issue when I did a real analysis of what I was eating. Breakfast was light or skipped, lunch was fairly OK most of the time . . . but by end of the day, I almost sunk into "free-for-all" behavior prior to banding. Was I really hungry? Well, yes I was a little after work and I usually had a later dinner so that would have something to tide me over. However that just precipitated bad behavior. Later I realized that my eating at this time was my "reward" for making it through the work day and it was also a part of slipping into relaxation mode. It just became a habit for me that I had to overcome. Since banding, I have been able to tackle this behavior and overcome it in appropriate ways. The first thing I did was move dinner earlier. I also do have an evening snack but it moved to after dinner and it might be a sugar free fudgesicle, cottage cheese, string cheese or something else similar. I had to decide ahead of time what "snack options" were acceptable and already had my mind made up so that I wasn't dwelling on choices (I had to stop thinking so much about food as well). The last but most important step was to find more appropriate ways to unwind, like going for a walk after dinner, taking a bubble bath, doing a little reading, etc. It took this honest look into my habits to see that there were behavioral issues holding me back that had to be addressed. I can say that the band really helped me with this because it knocked out the hunger signals . . . I just had to work on my head.

Hello everyone, I feel sluggish and out of sorts this morning. I think I need a few more hours of sleepy-time . . . perhaps an extended lunch nap, lol. I guess you know you are pregnant when your desire for sleep outweighs your desire for food. My DH just happens to be home today as well. We always like to take naps together when we can and there may not be too many more of these opportunities for a while. Perhaps I can convince him, lol. Speaking of which, we started to take a regular Sunday afternoon nap for about an hour. This is actually quite wonderful. There is nothing like sliding under the covers on a Sunday afternoon for a spell. It is heavenly and I highly recommend it. OK . . . enough about naps, before I fall asleep, lol.

Hello Vi's, Is it the weekend yet??? I am sooo ready. Wednesday is my never ending day in that I leave for work at 7:30, go directly from work to class from 6:00 to 10:00 PM and drive an hour back home . . . blahhh. I understand you 100% on this one. Whenever anyone asks me how much I have lost or how much I weighed in the beginning, I can't bring myself to talk about it outside of this website. For me, I guess I am just embarrassed that I ever got to that point in the first place and it is an entirely too personal question, especially when you get asked by someone who is a mere acquaintance.

You can do it, it just takes a little preparation. I agree with the lower carb, high Protein option being a great way to go. The liquid diet also helps to peal off the pounds fast. It is dangerous to have surgery with a fatty liver so there is really not much choice other than to go on a special liver shrinking diet. Some people have actually had to have their surgery postponed due to this issue. Good luck with everything. :0) Perhaps you could even start a thread for other bandsters that are trying to do the liver shrinking - fast diet option.

Good luck to you as well, brubear. Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope you make it a little further along this time with the shots. My sister also had all of hers early as well, there is never a really solid reason, it just kinda happens. I packed the baby portion of the hospital bag last night. I chose a couple of outfits and a few other things to bring along. I actually opened the one packet of diapers I had just to peek at them, lol. I showed my husband and he wanted a demonstration on how to use them. He said it looks easy enough . . . so I have high hopes that he will be assisting with a lot of diapering, lol. I can't wait . . . I think these last few weeks are going to crawwwllll by slow as molasses. I just wish I knew when it was going to happen. I am becoming impatient to see my babies face, and hands, and toes, and everything else, lol.

99 donuts in a bag in the car, 99 donuts in all, take one out, pass it about, 98 donuts in a bag in the car . . . I guess I am not qualified to be a donut deliverer, lol. TracyinKS, I am so glad you are back. Softball sounds great. Many of us are struggling right now, but I know it is so much easier for me right now not to give up completely when I try to post once in a while. Unfortunately, I can't remember my last day that was 100% on plan. Everyone has really missed you. Terry, You and Evan are still very much in my thoughts. My sister suffers from the same ailment so I know what you are going through. Hang in there <<<hugs>>> Michelle, You are going to have a whole new lease on life without PTA next year. Just think of all of the interesting, non-stress, non-political things you could be filling your time with . . . there is no limit. Speaking of which, I really need to pamper my feet a little as well but I can not reach them very easily right now . . . blahh. Perhaps I need a pedicure for the last couple of weeks of pregnancy. I keep seeing those ped-eggs everywhere . . . but I can't seem to even look at them. I just remember skinning my knuckles on a cheese grater a couple of times as a teenager and am a little horrified by how much they look like cheese graters. I am scared, lol.

Terry, I will also keep Evan in my thoughts as well. Pamela, I also think it is a cultural thing as well. I would never expand over to another persons grave but to hang out, read a book, listen to a little music or just shoot the breeze and talk with a family member or friend is not considered a taboo in my family. However, if there were other people visiting nearby, I might dissapear for a little while and then come back. I would always make a point not to infringe on others or make any noise that would disturb anyone. By the way, that sopapilla cheesecake recipe was wonderful. I made a half batch on Saturday night, had a small corner slice and my dh and ds polished off the entire thing hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream almost immediately. Thank goodness I only made a half batch. I hope everyone had a wonderful mothers day. My ds gave me a big box of chocolates and my dh gave me flowers. Chocolates are not my friend, lol. I do hope that daycare loses their license for losing a 3 year old. Anything could have happened, thank goodness he is safe. Since when are blocks acceptable for gate closure . . . and then children are left unattended as well??? Laura, my dh read the comment on his picture from you about him being a stud in FB, lol. I think I will never hear the end of it from my oh-so-incredibly-studly husband now. He loves to ham it up, lol. :0) Have a happy Monday everyone!!!

I can usually fall asleep on demand too, especially when I am tired, which I suspect I will be, lol. That should work to both of our benefits. I had a baby-shower last week which was really nice. It is odd, but I will actually end up with three events. I have a dinner/shower out and about with a few friends tomorrow and another baby shower on Saturday. It is strange how it all worked out. Something funny happened last Friday. I was at a friends house for dinner along with a lot of other friends. One of my friends touched my belly out of the blue and said it was a little soft, moved her hand over and touched my port on the upper left side of my belly and said "omg, what is that?" This caught the attention of another friend who then touched my port as well and they were saying maybe it is her head, or maybe it is her knee. No one knows I am banded. I just said, I am not sure, she moves around a lot and I can't distinguish the pieces parts yet, lol. I know I blushed when they asked me (it happens a lot to pale, freckled people like myself). They still don't know I am banded but I never expected a random person to "feel" my port, lol. It would have been a lot harder to explain if I wasn't very pregnant :0)

It sounds to me like you skipped right over your soft spot and are just too tight for comfort. What is worse is that the constant pb'ing can sabotage your band and set you up for some serious problems such as a slip. Your weight loss seems to already have stopped due to food choices as you said so you know that the restriction you have now is not working for you. I agree with other posters in that a tiny, fractional unfill can make a big difference. Sometimes unfills as small as .10 or .25 cc's can loosen you up enough to still have great restriction, but be able to eat. If you start relying too much on mushies and shakes to get nutrition in, you are defeating the purpose of the band. It is intended to allow you to eat a healthy but small amount of food and keep that "full" feeling for several hours. When you are eating healthy Proteins and veggies, they definitely stick around for a while. Slider foods go through to quickly and setup cravings and blood sugar spikes . . . but at least they go through the band which is one reason why people that are too tight can start to gain. It sounds from your post like you already know you should get a bit of an unfill but are a little nervous about making the change. Most of us who have been banded for a long time have had to make that decision including myself. Just do what you need to do. Remember that banding is all about balance and moderation . . . being too tight can be just as bad, and is certainly riskier, than being too loose. If it hasnt loosened on its own in a month and you are starting to gain a little, it probably wont change on its own. Good luck and keep us posted. :0)

That is really awful and I can understand your frustration. Can you take matters into your own hands . . . like maybe going to the doctors office and asking them to make a copy of the referral from your patient file and see if you can fax it yourself or have them physically fax it from there?

Thanks for sharing. :0) This is a great thread for those who have not yet gone through the process and had the psych eval . . . I know many of us are intimidated by this.

If someone is compulsively overfilling their pouch with anything, there is a definite risk for stretching the pouch. Carbonated beverages are also a risk when it comes to this. However, in the case of slider foods, they don't stay in the pouch very long so they are not as likely to stretch it as more normal foods. It is still possible if a person is rapidly consuming large quantities, but not as likely. I guess one question a person can ask themselves after eating is - do they feel distinctly uncomfortable from eating too much? If the answer is yes, than it is likely that a person may be in the process of stretching their pouch. There is a five day pouch test diet (just google it and you'll find it easily) that helps if you are concerned about stretching the pouch. It takes you through a brief version of the post-surgery diet and helps to break carb cravings (alot of sliders are carbs which can cause a cycle of cravings due to spiking blood sugar). It also helps to give your pouch a rest since you start off on liquids again. Most importantly, it helps to reset your mindset and get back into the banding lifestyle once again. I highly recommend it for anyone who might be growing dependent on slider foods and wants to get back on the wagon.

I am so sorry you went through this. It has to be quite a shock to lose the band during pregnancy (or any time for that matter). I think I remember you saying that you got unfilled early on so you did everything you could do. My heart really goes out to you. I know what it is like to get sick with pregnancy and there is not much you can do other than take a few meds and hope it goes away. I am happy to hear that the baby is doing well. I wish you the best of luck with everything and a healthy pregnancy (minus the extreme morning sickness issues).

I can't help but laugh (although that doesn't mean I don't feel your pain) . . . some people don't have a clue and there are definitely those who should never consider an online class. Really, when it comes down to it, you don't HAVE to do anything in a class, you just fail instead, lol. I guess the worst part is that students that are arguing rubrics and contacting you constantly at the beginning are likely to be a pain later and will probably argue grades all along the way. It sounds like she is well on her way to an A :cool2:

I wanted to mention, I was present for the birth of my sisters baby a week ago. She ended up with a c-section. She isn't banded but I can see that, unless you mention it yourself, no one will be the wiser. The stomach doesn't really show and it is not a topic of conversation. If it was going to come up at all, it is more likely a doctor/nurse might notice your port after delivery when they are feeling your belly to make sure the uterus is contracting properly over the next day or two. I would imagine that if it was disclosed in your charts, the nurse or doctor would already be aware.

I am up a little over 20 pounds myself with 5 weeks to go. I thought I would only gain a little because I didn't gain through the first half of pregnancy. However, I am HUNGRYYY and my band is empty. I am trying not to eat crap, but I am definitely eating. I really think I can take it back off afterwards. I just have to get back on the plan :0). I know I can do this. ejmdiva, you really aren't far behind me. I can't wait for this baby to come. Now that I have about a month left . . . I am just too eager to see my babies face. I can't imagine what she is going to look like. I had a baby shower on Monday and got some awesome gifts. It seems a little funny but I am kind of sad to be finished with the baby shower. Before, I didn't have to really focus on the baby coming because there was still a shower coming. Now that all the big stuff is out of the way, the nursery is done, the shower is done, what is there left to do but wait, and wait, and wait . . . and I am an impatient kinda gal. So what now, lol???

Laura, I really want to see those pictures once they are done :0). I love the thought of getting them while he is still a newborn, he will never look the same again as he does right now.

Still Ayla for now . . . unless we see her and decide otherwise. :thumbup: I have 35 days officially. School is never over, lol. I started a new class last week. I am in an acclerated MBA program so each class lasts for 2 months. I am taking a business course in ethics and social responsibility which focuses on Catholic social theory. The class will finish at the end of June but the baby will be here before then (assuming she is not 3 weeks late). I got lucky in that my professor said I could take the course and if something happens, I can take an incomplete and finish up in July. This is primarily a case study course involving a ton of reading and writing. I am going to work on trying to knock out a few assignments ahead of schedule. I will graduate in August so i didn't want to take a long break when I knew I would be home with the baby this Summer. Otherwise I would have had to take the last two courses in the Fall on top of having an infant and working full time plus . . . I think that might just be much to much. I really just need to get it done, if you know what I mean. If I stop now this close to the end, it might be hard to get going again. I am also feeling pretty good for being so close to the end, just a little tired. I need to economize on the time I will spend at home. There is no rest for the weary, lol.

I found your poll, you just went to a different forum section then where you originally posted. No users can move or delete your threads, only moderators who wouldnt do so unless it is advertising, spam or derogatory in some form. Your original post is under General Lapband Surgery Discussion and not General Lapband Support. Poll: June bandsters lets vote on a name!

If the post dissappeared, you should check with a moderator who may be able to figure out what happened to it.

I had it too and it started around 4 months out and lasted for a few months. I was taking all the Vitamins and all the Protein plus Biotin supplements from the beginning of banding. I did my part to prevent it but still had the loss. After I stopped losing hair, it started growing back. I went with a shorter layered look to blend it and everything looks pretty good now.

They do get soft but are also a slider food. These are some of the foods that we need to avoid post banding because they slip immediately past the band and can sabotage weight loss efforts. They are also white carbs with almost no nutritional value as well so we are typically told to avoid them.

I was at my sweet spot for many months and lost most of my weight during this time. However, I only averaged about 1.5 pounds a week. I knew it was my sweet spot because the loss was steady and I wasn't hungry between meals and could only eat a limited amount of food before I was full. Really for me, I think the sweet spot is the point at which weight loss is no longer much of a struggle and it just happens if you are following the rules and exercising without feeling deprived. I would always lose a fast 5-10 pounds after a fill, but the sweet spot was long term with the 1.5 weekly loss on average.