Anna is 41 wks and Mel is 37 wks, new blog.

[Justme]

Both Mommies look very happy. I guess Anna could go another week. Don't they generally induce around 42 weeks if labor hasn't started? I wonder if Stevie would allow one or both to be born on a Sunday?

[gustava]

Both Mommies look very happy. I guess Anna could go another week. Don't they generally induce around 42 weeks if labor hasn't started? I wonder if Stevie would allow one or both to be born on a Sunday? :shock:

And then name it Jesus.

[Daenerys]

Er, Sarah, 37 weeks is not full-term...

[WonderingInWA]

They do both look happy. It's actually good NR-Anna has had Melanie around to go through pregnancy with. I can't imagine Teri is too forthcoming about her own pregnancies. Plus she was so stoned on Pepsi, she probably doesn't even remember.

[TVR]

37 weeks is indeed considered full term.

[WonderingInWA]

Er, Sarah, 37 weeks is not full-term...

No, it is considered a healthy date for delivery (I believe anything after 36 weeks the risks drop significantly due to lung development -- low birth weight is still an issue at that point, though). Given Melanie's other prenancies with delivering really early (can't remember how early they were), they are probably just all relieved she's made it this far and is on no bed rest.

[holothuroidea]

Er, Sarah, 37 weeks is not full-term...

AFAIK, 37 weeks is when the fetus is considered at full term. It's also the cut off for when you can have a home birth. Labors that begin before 37 weeks must go to the hospital.

The range of "normal" is between 37 and 42 weeks. Most midwives will insist on an induction at 42 weeks, but some whackadoo woo-woo midwives who don't understand risk/benefit assessment are willing to wait even after 42 weeks.

[ceg045]

Yep, the due date is calculated 40 weeks from your first missed period, but you're considered "full term" at 37 weeks and beyond.

Despite my feelings about the Maxwells, I'm hoping for smooth, safe deliveries and healthy kiddos for both women. Particularly Melanie; she's had such a rough go of it.

[WonderingInWA]

I wonder if NR-Anna is planning a home birth? They've never said boo on the blog about it. But if Stevie is raising his kids to be ultra fundie, Christopher should have insisted this be a home birth. Obviously Melanie has had high-risk pregnancies, so she dodged the homebirth bullet there. Not that there's anything wrong with homebirth (I would have done it the 2nd time around had my husband been on board with it, but he was afraid of problems and as it turned out, it was good to be at the hospital for us).

[moreorlessnu]

Can I say that Anna's skirt is almost stylish with that flair at the bottom? If she sewed the shirt she's wearing, she really is a good seamstress and I can't wait to see the outfits she has sewn for the baby.

[WonderingInWA]

Yep, the due date is calculated 40 weeks from your first missed period, but you're considered "full term" at 37 weeks and beyond.

Despite my feelings about the Maxwells, I'm hoping for smooth, safe deliveries and healthy kiddos for both women. Particularly Melanie; she's had such a rough go of it.

Me, too. I just remember with my first birth, I read everything I could get my hands on and had every ounce of knowledge I felt I could have, and then my son was born so quickly, all I could do was close my eyes tight (too much visual stimulation was freaking me out). So, they never really go as you expect. I just hope NR-Anna's delivery is just as she wants it to be and no one else is making decisions for her.

And certainly Melanie has this gig down to a science. So hopefully she's given Anna (AND Christopher) some good advice.

[WonderingInWA]

Can I say that Anna's skirt is almost stylish with that flair at the bottom? If she sewed the shirt she's wearing, she really is a good seamstress and I can't wait to see the outfits she has sewn for the baby.

I like her skirt, too. She does seem to be a good seamstress. And at least it's not a frumper. I think she'll find nursing in a frumper to be rather complicated, so if she's planning to nurse, she'd better have spent the last few months sewing up a storm!

[Jessica]

I remember Steve said something like "They got to the hospital (not their first choice) at blah blah o'clock", I think with Bethany's birth. So, I think they prefer the homebirth route.

[WonderingInWA]

I remember Steve said something like "They got to the hospital (not their first choice) at blah blah o'clock", I think with Bethany's birth. So, I think they prefer the homebirth route.

I vaguely remember that comment, too, but I think it was because they were delivering at a different hospital than the one that handled Suzannah's birth and Abigail's birth. I think because she didn't have such a high-risk pregnancy with Bethany they for some reason went to a less specialized hospital? I could be wrong. But it could have been a financial decision, too, because they are on that nutjob Samaritan Health plan so maybe the hospital they went to for Bethany was cheaper but the care level or the facility was just not their "first choice" for comfort reasons.

[kb2]

Inductions/scheduled C-sections aren't recommended before 39 weeks unless there's a reason. But if a baby is born at 37 weeks it counts as full-term.

[ladypuglover]

I have to jump in on the 37 weeks full term bandwagon. I only once made it full term during pregnancy (39 weeks) and was even told 22 years ago that anything over 36 weeks was full term as you now have completed a full 9 months. Unless they changed how they count things (they have from my first to my last, months to weeks) then both mommies to be are full term and can safely have the babies at any time barring any unknown problems.

[ricky_ticky]

I like her skirt, too. She does seem to be a good seamstress. And at least it's not a frumper. I think she'll find nursing in a frumper to be rather complicated, so if she's planning to nurse, she'd better have spent the last few months sewing up a storm!

I agree that it's cute, but I think that the flair is a different fabric than the skirt itself. It looks to me like a manufactured skirt to which she added the flair for length. Lol, technically speaking this type of ruffle is called a "flounce," which is what some fundies are famous for!

[moreorlessnu]

I like her skirt, too. She does seem to be a good seamstress. And at least it's not a frumper. I think she'll find nursing in a frumper to be rather complicated, so if she's planning to nurse, she'd better have spent the last few months sewing up a storm!

She will probably have the nursing frumper with the side 'access' folds.

Seeing that she and Christopher seem so happy together, it's nice to think of them home during the day (away from Steve) with Anna happily sewing away. I hope she still gets a chance to make her soaps, even if in small batches.

[kpmom]

From the blog;

"Melanie and Anna Marie have loved their little ones since the day they found out they were carrying them."

Yes, we get it. Fully human from the moment of conception, a heritage of the Lord, each one a blessing, blah, blah, blah.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

From the blog;

"Melanie and Anna Marie have loved their little ones since the day they found out they were carrying them."

Yes, we get it. Fully human from the moment of conception, a heritage of the Lord, each one a blessing, blah, blah, blah.

SRSLY.

[ElphabaGalinda]

From the blog;

"Melanie and Anna Marie have loved their little ones since the day they found out they were carrying them."

Yes, we get it. Fully human from the moment of conception, a heritage of the Lord, each one a blessing, blah, blah, blah.

Though they wouldn't have known they were carrying their "little ones" from the moment of conception. So does that mean they didn't love their little blessings from the moment they were conceived (which they claim to believe is the moment they're a real live baybee)? More likely, they say they believe the moment sperm meets egg = baybee, but their feelings say something else.

[emmiedahl]

I did not read the last blog post. Wow, the wide stance seems to be a fundy trend.

"Hey guys, look at mah ballz!"

[Witsec7]

Who invented that stoopid heart over the bump shit? It just irritates the fuck out of me, every pregnant fundy has one of those pictures posted.

[holothuroidea]

Who invented that stoopid heart over the bump shit? It just irritates the fuck out of me, every pregnant fundy has one of those pictures posted.

Cliches don't exist for them. If it was cute when one person did it, it will be cute into perpetuity for the rest of the infinite existence of the universe.

[WonderingInWA]

Who invented that stoopid heart over the bump shit? It just irritates the fuck out of me, every pregnant fundy has one of those pictures posted.

Well, and how un-Maxwell and defrauding is that whole "I can show off my baby bump, but I can't wear pants or call attention to any of my other curves at any other time other than when I'm pregnant"? That just seems so weird to me. Shouldn't those ladies be hiding their shape in big tent-dresses like they always do?