Conference moira::parenting_v3

    I had a brown like before I ever got pregnant the first time (and
    my mother did wonder about me), and my belly button never popped.
    
    --bonnie

    
    You might not pop,  I didn't.  I always had a swirly "outtie" and it
    remained so.  We used to draw faces on my stomach using my navel as the 
    nose of the baby.
    
    Now...the dark line, well with all 3 pregnancies I got the dark line
    from my pubic bone to just below my diaphragm!  All 3 pregnancies ended
    in C-sections and after all 3 pregnancies the line went away.
    
    (we used the dark line as the prime meridian when my friend painted
    the world on my stomach the day I was due)
    
    -dorothy
    
    p.s.  my first born is extremely artistic (age 5) - i wonder if it's
    because we were always "drawing on him" in utero.   :-)      
                                                           

I never got the line - but I think it is more obvious in darker women than
in lighter women.  (I'm a redhead).

My bellybutton didn't pop; it became flat.  I'm an outie, so it just looked
like a funny circle on my belly.

    
    My bellybutton never popped out either, and I as pretty big!  I have
    light to medium skin tone and I had a very light line down my belly
    barely noticable. It faded completely after I delivered.
    
     Sandy

    My bellybutton did not pop nor did I have the brown line with my first.
    I was big too.  I gained 52 lbs.  I am fair to medium skinned. I would 
    rather have had the brown line instead of stretch marks from my chest to 
    my knees.
    
    I am pregnant with my second and still no brown line.  So far no new
    stretch marks either. 
    
    
    Angie. 

    I've heard (and is true in my family) - a brown line always meant a boy
    and no line meant a girl.
    
    First time I had a line...and a boy.  This time I have no line...but
    sonograms say it's a boy. (???)  We'll see in 8 weeks.
    
    Oh yeah, belly button didn't pop first time and I was BIG, this time
    I'm not as big but it looks like the old navel is gonna explode any
    minute.
    
    TT
    

    at 33 weeks I had not "popped" out; I have a deep "insie" (I had gained
    40 pounds by that time too..). I am very fair skinned but by that time
    had developed a very dark line, with a very faint parallel "shadow"
    line. Now, 11 weeks after the  delivery, I STILL have that darned line.
    The shadow one has faded, but the main one is still very visible. I
    wonder if I will remain bisected forever 8-)
    
    Monica
    

    First: gained 32 lb, girl, poppped at 35 weeks, line about 5 months
    Second: gained 12 lb, girl, popped at 34 weeks, no line

    -1  
    Oh Monica,...it took nearly a year for each of my lines to fade so you've 
    got some time!
    
    As for another previous note about boy vs. girl, my experience supports
    the theory of line = boy , I had 3 lines, I have 3 boys.
    
    -dorothy

    I can't remember exactly when my belly button popped the first time.  Must
    have been around month 7 or so.  Then it eventually became totally
    flat. I also can't remember when I got the line, but that was probably 
    week 25-30 (although this is a complete guess).
    
    This time my belly button, which never returned to normal after the first 
    pregnancy, popped very early - probably week 15.  No line yet at
    week 23.  
    
    I hear the line is most noticeable on brunettes (which I am).  Also,
    Monica, my line didn't disappear after delivery.  I got so sick of
    seeing it (plus darkness that had surrounded my belly button) that
    after a shower one morning when I was drying off I noticed the dark
    skin flaking a bit, so I scrubbed it and it came off.  Give it a try.
    
    Donna
    
    p.s.  First time - line and boy.  
          Second time - we'll see.  

    I'm brunette also.  Mine didn't scrub off, though I've tried it a
    time or two . . . Since I've always had it, and it never goes
    away, I guess it isn't much use for predicting the sex of a baby.
    
    --bonnie

    But I'm a blonde!!
    Get out the steel wool, eh? I'm not THAT desperate to get 
    rid of it 8-)
    Mine, as most of you know, was indeed a boy.....
    
    Monica   

    
    The book I was reading suggested that the line had something to
    do with the tearing of the rectis muscle...has anyone else heard
    of that?  The darker the line, the worse the tear...
    
    Kristen

    re: -1  I never heard that one.  This line is just a darkening
            of the skin and is called the Linea Nigra which is
            caused by hormones. 
    
            According to "What to Expect When You're Expecting", there
            is something called a linea alba (white line) that runs
            down your abdomen which we probably never notice.  The 
    	    hormones cause it to turn brown.
    
    	    Donna
    

    First time: no line but a developed a brown of birth mark on 
    my belly which is still there.  Belly button never popped.
    oh yeah and a boy.
    
    Second time: I am 28 weeks and here goes the belly button any
    time now and no line.  We will hopefully find out boy or girl 
    on June 10.
    
    Della

...but I had two boys and no line either time.  I am brunette but my skin is
very light (read white, I do not tan, I burn).

ccb

    Well, I'm a relatively fair-skinned brunette - got a fairly dark
    line which took and eternity to go away and I had a girl.  In fact,
    as someone mentioned earlier about the line first being white -
    that's true.  Well, it was with me anyway...
    
    My belly-button popped fairly early (around week 20 maybe?) but I
    think that was because I'm fairly small and was "all baby".  I gained
    24 lbs. total that was all behind my belly-button.
    
    - Kathryn
    

    No line, Noticable change in the belly button. Gained 24lbs and had a
    very healthy 9lb 5oz boy by a section.
    
    roseann

    On the subject of stretch marks... Would one be able to detect during
    pregnancy whether or not they will get stretch marks or would they only
    become apparent after delivery & weight lose?  I'm in my 32nd week and
    have not noticed any yet.  I'm hoping (as most of you are/did) not to
    get any.
    
    Back on subject of belly button & lines.  Haven't had either yet - but
    the belly button's on it's way...  I have blonde hair & fair/light
    skin.
    
    Sonia

    I got stretch marks during my pregnancy - about 2 days before he
    was born (and he was 6 days late so if he had been on time, I 
    wouldn't have gotten any!!!).
    
    Another off the topic a bit .... if you have stretch marks from
    the first pregnancy, do those stretch out even further with
    subsequent pregnancies?  I got by with a few very small stretch
    marks the first time, but I'm afraid they're going to go wild
    this time.
    
    Donna
    

    I seem to recollect seeing this dark line around 20 weeks. My frame is
    very small and I only gained baby weight. My belly popped also very
    early. The line disappeared within a few weeks of delivery. For the
    record I had a baby girl.
    
    -clo

    I'm only 16 weeks and I've already popped.  Popped with the first one
    too.  No dark line yet although I had one with the first.  Marcelle
    

    	because of a lap several years ago, only the top half of my belly
    button has popped out (yes, it looks very weird), I guess that the
    bottom half is held in by scar tissue.

    	I'm at 26 weeks and my husband tells me I have a dark line that
    surrounds my bellybutton and goes down my belly. I can't get around my
    stomach enough to see it for myself and have to take his word for it.

    			Wendy

    
    I had my husband "check" for the dark line the other night, and he
    said yes, that he can see it starting.  As Wendy said though, I can't
    see it with my belly in the way!  :-)
    
    And so far, no popping of the belly button, still too early I guess.
    (20 weeks)
    
    Chris
    

    RE: last two.  You two must be carrying twins, at least, if you
    can't see below your belly button at 20 and 26 weeks!! And my 
    husband thought I was big (which I'm not)!  Maybe if I tell him 
    about you, he won't be so concerned.
    
    Donna
    

    
    RE: Donna..
    
    I can see below my belly button, but not down to my pubic area...
    (I guess the "overly developed" chest doesn't help much either!) :-)
    
    People don't think I'm that BIG, but I wouldn't know, this is my first.
    I'm also large boned/framed if that matters.
    
    Chris
    
    

    
    Likewise I can assure you that I am not carrying twins. I am, however,
    carrying a large basketball that someone slipped into my stomach when I
    was not looking. It is high, very round and quite firm, even with
    pulling, I cannot see over my belly button to any areas below.
    
    			Wendy

    If you're carrying high, the roundest part of the baby will be
    above your navel and you won't be able to see it -- I couldn't
    with Kathy or Steven.  Last time I could see not only my navel but
    my toes . . .
    
    --bonnie

    You mean nobody else besides me uses a mirror to check such things?  I
    wouldn't have trusted my husband to give me a straight answer, anyway - he
    has a very strange sense of humor.  :)

    
    To tell you the truth...  I try to *avoid* mirrors these days if
    possible.  
    
    :-)
    
    (still not used to this change!)
    

    
    	Oh, no kidding there! We don't have a full length mirror and the
    only mirror that we have is the one to brush your teeth in.
    
    	The biggest shock has been seeing myself in someone else's full
    mirrors. Just this past weekend, I was changing into my bathing suit
    in a bathroom that had a hugge mirror and all I could do was gasp.
    
    	No one ever told me it would be like this, strange days indeed.
    
    				Wendy

    At 18wks I can barely see past my belly button.  I have not gained as
    much weight as with my first but my belly is receiving all the weight
    this time.  I can relate to the basketball. The other day I had a good 
    laugh trying to shave my "bikini area".  My daughter was born in March
    so I never need to worry about shaving my upper legs/bikini area.  
    
    When I was 8 mos preg with my daughter I asked my husband what the
    bottom of stomach looked like since I had bad stretch marks.  He said
    you look ok--hardly any marks.  Well I did not believe him so I
    climbed up on a chair and looked for myself in my dresser mirror.  He
    lied. I guess he didn't want to answer such a loaded question.  His
    expressions were priceless.
    
    Angie                               

    
    re last 2:
    
    I give you gals credit for still wearing a bathing suit..!
    I guess I'm just too self conscious....I don't plan of wearing anything
    smaller than shorts!! 
    
    

    
    Actually my bathing suit is one of my most comfortable pieces of
    clothing, I put it on on Saturday morning and usually wear it until
    Sunday evening.
    
    	I sit in the back yard in a lounge chair, sipping lemonade and
    positioned *just* right under the sprinkler. Couldn't imagine getting
    through the summer without all of the above.
    
    			Wendy

    I wore a bathing suit a lot during my first and last pregnancies,
    for the same reasons Wendy cites.  My middle pregnancy didn't
    include any hot weather. 
    
    --bonnie

    
    Boy Wendy...that sounds like a good idea..(sprinkler!)
    
    The people across the street from me just bought one of those
    collapsable pools for their kids (about 18 in deep, 6ft wide), and
    I have been telling my husband that by August when I am 7 mos along,
    I'm going to get myself one and set it up in the back yard!
    I can see it now...Big huge belly floating to the top!
    Hey, it'll beat the heat!
    
    Chris  

    Now this is why I want to try again for the winter -- I get to
    hide myself under a whole lot of clothes ! (besides I already own
    a winter maternity wardrobe; tent-like winter coat and all.)
    
    Monica
    

    
    Beleive me Monica...I TRIED for the winter..thats for sure!
    I went off the pill last May, cleaned my system out and used other
    protection for 3 months, and we started trying in August (even though
    we were getting married in September!).  That would've put me at having 
    the baby around now...and I would of enjoyed the spring/summer off.
    
    But Noooooooooo.....it took us 6 months to concieve, and now I will 
    have the fall/winter off.   Oh well!
    
    I thought about stopping trying around Dec/Jan, because I was
    determined to be home with the baby during the summer...but once we
    started trying, and nothing happened right away, it didn't matter any 
    longer as to WHEN I got pregnant, just that I did. 
    
    This reminds me of last night, when my husband looked at me in a pair
    of shorts (belly has just "popped") , and just kind of chuckled and
    said..."Boy..I pity you this summer!".  I just shook my head and said
    "I know".
    
    I'm sure I'll survive..(but that Kiddie pool is looking better every
    day!)
    
    Chris
    

    I guess I should not assume that I will not be in the same position....
    (I'm laughing at your tale, but I might be laughing at myself I guess).
    
    Well, we're keeping fingers and toes crossed on this one (heck,
    truthfully, I don't care at all; I'd like to be preggers NOW -- but
    the doc says wait for the system to recover and the weight to go
    down first.....).
    
    (Summer is going soooo slow....)
    Monica
    

    I would have loved another winter baby but my fertility did not agree. 
    
    I was diagnosed with endometrosis with I was 21 and the doctor told me
    that I would have difficulty ever having a child because of this.  I
    panicked and quit the pill immediately so that I could start trying.
    During the three month wait for the pill to wear off I changed my mind
    about having a child immediately.  I did stay off the pill because
    without out it I only had periods every 2 to 3 months which treated the
    endo.  
    
    Several years later a very close friend of ours was in a fatal 
    car accident.  Our grief prompted us to start trying to have children
    because "life is so short".  In my mind I thought it would take me
    several years to conceive so weeks later when I went to the doctor for
    strep throat and found out I was pregnant I was shocked.
    
    When we were planning our second we "assumed" it would not be difficult
    but it took us much longer.  So I will be having a fall baby not summer
    like I "planned".
    
    The one life saver I have is a pool.  I can't imagine not having it
    this summer.  It has been over 90 many days here in Pennsylvania
    already.  It looks like it's going to be a long and hot summer for us
    Preggos. 
    
    

    back to topic:
    From my memory and my wife's:
     three boys and one girl....never a line. She is Brunette and medium
    complexioned.
    Belly button popped about 20 weeks with first and worked downward...it
    was popped at less than 10 weeks for this last pregnancy!
    
    Stretch marks were most noticeable with first, new ones were added with
    second, old ones pressed back into service with third, and none
    noticeable at all with fourth (although she was huge!). Must be by the
    fourth, the skin had done all the stretching it could possibly do
    already! The first three babies were carried very high, though, and
    this last one was always *very* low (and, she says, that is *much* more
    uncomfortable!).
    
    --dave--

    I got the brown line around 20-22 weeks, and am now 30 weeks; my belly
    button is flattening but has not yet popped.
    
    I am a medium complexioned brunette, and I also understood this line
    would be more noticeable in a brunette.
    
    So far, no stretch marks (fingers crossed !) althoughh I have already
    gained about 28 lb which has all gone to my belly. It's no joke tryig
    to lace my boots in the mornings !
    
    As far as gender goes, we shall see.........
    
    Angela.