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I too used nothing I packed, except for my iPod, which I wouldn't have bothered with but my partner suggested it, and my toothbrush. When I arrived, they put me in a cotton hospital gown, and I stayed in those till I went home, but I did go home early, so I didn't even really have time for visitors other than my immediate family. I delivered at 12:03 am on Monday and was home by 1pm on Thursday. I didn't even shower, I was still feeling too woozy to bother, and I was going home anyway. Breastfeeding. Why is something so natural so freaking hard and scary? I've been breastfeeding--he had formula once at the hospital, and has twice since we've been home because I'm terrified he's starving, since all he does is sleep. He's pooping and peeing fine and gained 2 oz between one weigh in and another and the two peds he saw said "good job mama". He's jaundiced but it doesn't warrant treatment, the pediatrician just said "feed feed feed" so I wake him every 2.5 hrs and nurse him but I'm convinced he's starving to death. I spend more time trying to wake him than I do feeding him. I had tried pumping for the first time today and after 30 min on each side I had just the merest like, teaspoon total so I'm freaking out thinking that's all he's getting, if that, because he's the laziest sucker and I can't detect as much swallowing as I should. Argh.
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Jun 23, 2013 02:12
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If he's got a lot of wet and poopy diapers and gaining you are doing just great! I have the same fears though... Lazy hard to wake nurser. Remember a baby is a lot more efficient then a pump at getting milk.
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Jun 23, 2013 02:17
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Are there any breastfeeding support groups near you that you could attend? They usually have a scale available so you can weight your baby both before and after you nurse so you can see how much he's getting in a typical nursing session. That might help reassure you that he's getting enough or conversely let you know that he's not.
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Jun 23, 2013 02:22
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sudont posted:I delivered at 12:03 am on Monday and was home by 1pm on Thursday. I didn't even shower, I was still feeling too woozy to bother, and I was going home anyway. Thats funny. I pretty much just went in the shower every time I had to pee / change the giant maxi pad...so almost once every 2 or 3 hours. It was just easier to pee standing in the shower and wash myself with the detachable shower head than to try to clean it all sitting on the toilet. They had a really nice giant walk in shower in each room though.
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Jun 23, 2013 03:55
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Alterian posted:Thats funny. I pretty much just went in the shower every time I had to pee / change the giant maxi pad...so almost once every 2 or 3 hours. It was just easier to pee standing in the shower and wash myself with the detachable shower head than to try to clean it all sitting on the toilet. They had a really nice giant walk in shower in each room though. Haha, me too. The midwives told me to pee in the shower, so I did.
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Jun 23, 2013 08:02
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Hah, I wish. L&D was so full that I spent the ambulatory, pre-epidural portion of labor in the ER triage. I arrived at 11am and 2cm and got to L&D at 4pm and 7cm so it was higj time for the epi. Spent till I delivered at midnight in bed, pain free!
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Jun 23, 2013 19:13
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Can anyone recommend any cures for reflux? I feel like my stomach is actively trying to destroy my gullet. At first it only started happening if I ate something spicy, now I can't even have a banana without triggering fiery pain. I was taking Mylanta, but that's stopped working. I'm seeing my doctor on Friday, but I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion in the meantime? All the stuff I've looked up online (sitting upright, not smoking, avoiding spicy foods, not drinking water with meals) I am already doing and it doesn't seem to make much difference.
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Jun 24, 2013 08:46
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Small sips of milk has a soothing effect for me.
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Jun 24, 2013 09:24
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bee posted:Can anyone recommend any cures for reflux? Giving birth  No but seriously reflux sucks balls. I had it so bad with my first pregnancy. I don't have any advice except hang in there, and hopefully the doctor will be able to come up with something. Another thing, I remember feeling so hopeless because if it's this bad now, how awful will it be in 2 weeks, 3 weeks etc. But it didn't get steadily worse. It was an up and down thing, sometimes worse, sometimes better for a while. And when the baby dropped it got better.
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Jun 24, 2013 09:33
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On the bag packing part this wouldn't be necessary for someone inducing but the advice I give for general hospital bag packing is to make sure your camera is in a purse/bag that you bring in right away. The policy at the hospital I went to was that you don't bring bags in until you are admitted. First time around we had our phones in my purse but the camera was in the regular hospital bag. Once I was admitted with our first even though it was another 4 hours before I gave birth there was never a time where I felt like I could deal with my husband leaving for the short period of time to get our bags. When I decided to get the epidural we figured he'd go once that kicked in but once it kicked in I was immediately ready to push go figure. So we only have cell phone pictures of my first for the immediate post birth photos. My second I put the camera in my purse and brought a water bottle up and those were the only things I cared about during labor/immediately after so we didn't bother getting bags until they moved us to the postpartum room a few hours after delivery. I don't have any on the scale/naked baby pictures for my first and have plenty for my second and I'm very happy to have gooey baby photos  Re: Clothing during labor - with my first I was in a gown the entire labor and it was a bit annoying and also even though it had the buttons to come down for nursing it was really in the way to attempt skin to skin right away so I didn't get to do that. With my second I went all natural and wore the gown during the admission process, took it off for the tub, put it back on briefly after getting out of the tub because I was cold and then it was off for the rest of the process. I definitely recommend laboring nude, not having the gown in the way was nice. I'd recommend getting naked at least for pushing because it makes things nice and easy for skin to skin afterwards.
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Jun 24, 2013 14:16
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bee posted:Can anyone recommend any cures for reflux? I feel like my stomach is actively trying to destroy my gullet. At first it only started happening if I ate something spicy, now I can't even have a banana without triggering fiery pain. I was taking Mylanta, but that's stopped working. I'm seeing my doctor on Friday, but I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion in the meantime? All the stuff I've looked up online (sitting upright, not smoking, avoiding spicy foods, not drinking water with meals) I am already doing and it doesn't seem to make much difference. Prilosec OTC. I was on it through both my pregnancies. Check with your OB first of course but it's totally safe to take. On the plus side. breastfeeding totally cured my long term reflux and it only came back when I got pregnant again, so it's only temporary.
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Jun 24, 2013 14:21
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enitsirk posted:Re: Clothing during labor - with my first I was in a gown the entire labor and it was a bit annoying and also even though it had the buttons to come down for nursing it was really in the way to attempt skin to skin right away so I didn't get to do that. With my second I went all natural and wore the gown during the admission process, took it off for the tub, put it back on briefly after getting out of the tub because I was cold and then it was off for the rest of the process. I definitely recommend laboring nude, not having the gown in the way was nice. I'd recommend getting naked at least for pushing because it makes things nice and easy for skin to skin afterwards. One small note on this section regarding packing for partners - suggest they bring a bathing suit. Even if tubs or waterbirths aren't in the picture, you might want an extra hand in the shower.
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Jun 24, 2013 14:30
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I am 30+1 today, and was sitting down to fill out my pre-admission paperwork for the hospital when lots of questions come up that I haven't really thought about. I'm a very "go with the flow" type person, and find that over thinking things tends to stress me out. (I should also note that I have lupus so stress is extremely bad for me.) The only two things that I really feel strongly about is that I want to breastfeed, and I do NOT want my son to be circumcised. Beyond that I hope for a natural birth, but will not rule out an epi if needed. However, they want to know things like, "How do you want to spend your first hour post-birth/handle the first bath/first feeding time/etc?" I feel like a terrible person right now because I honestly have no strong feelings one way or the other. I'm just hoping for happy and healthy. All the rest seems like micromanagement to me. So I guess my question is, what worked for you? What do you regret and wish you'd done differently in those first hours post-birth?
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Jun 24, 2013 21:07
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Russian Dollies posted:I am 30+1 today, and was sitting down to fill out my pre-admission paperwork for the hospital when lots of questions come up that I haven't really thought about. I'm a very "go with the flow" type person, and find that over thinking things tends to stress me out. (I should also note that I have lupus so stress is extremely bad for me.) Just a note, if breastfeeding is important to you, you'll definitely want to include time for feeding/skin to skin in the first hour. There's support for the idea that attempting to nurse within the first hour and plenty of skin to skin is important to the BF relationship. Beyond things that directly relate to what you feel strongly about, don't stress out if you haven't micromanaged every single part of the "birth experience." Maybe you could just write "as long as mom and baby are healthy, do not separate us as I'd like to decide how to proceed on bath/feeding/exams when the time has come." Or something like that. One thing you might want to think about is whether you want visitors barging in during the first couple of hours after birth. Depending on how much family you have in town/how involved they are, you might want to specify something whether you're ok with visitors right away or not. It's the first time together with your new family, you might not want Cousin Sally or whoever storming in to see the new widdle babby after climbing the waiting room walls during labor.
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Jun 24, 2013 21:21
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I wrote a birth plan, it didn't even get read, because events took their own course. So just fill in the things you feel strongly about.
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Jun 24, 2013 22:49
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Just checking in. 29 + 3 today and for the most part, everything is going well. I have type 2 diabetes going into this pregnancy (my first) and have (much to my OB's delight) only gained 7lbs total so far. I also see Maternal Fetal Medicine to manage the diabetes in pregnancy and they've told me starting at week 32, they want me to come in twice per week to do a NST Biophysical which will take about 30 minutes each time. Unfortunately, work will not be happy to hear this as MFM's hours are 8-4 & I work 9-5. They have early hours on Fridays and are there 7-1, but it still leaves me hanging for that one day and I'm insanely busy at work. Also, I'd rather use my banked time for after the baby is born and I'm on maternity, since the hospital forces us to use our time after the disability runs out and during the disability time as well to ensure we're getting paid at 100%. I'm going to ask if they could do this only once per week or maybe have me go to do the NST scans at the hospital I work at (same health system that the MFM people are a part of) and get it done there. I've been going there for my growth scans & whatnot, so I don't see why I can't have it done there. The hours are later at the hospital, but the waits are extraordinarily long (1.5-2 hours each time I've gone in previously for a scan), but at least it'll be getting done. Have any of you guys had the NST done? PS: I just sent a request for SA Parents on Facebook, I'm Natasha on there.
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Jun 25, 2013 00:05
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Clip My Wings posted:Just checking in. 29 + 3 today and for the most part, everything is going well. I have type 2 diabetes going into this pregnancy (my first) and have (much to my OB's delight) only gained 7lbs total so far. I also see Maternal Fetal Medicine to manage the diabetes in pregnancy and they've told me starting at week 32, they want me to come in twice per week to do a NST Biophysical which will take about 30 minutes each time. I did NSTs 3x a week from week 20 until he was born at 34weeks. It's mostly just boredom - lay on a bed while they monitor the heartbeat for half an hour, then at least one out of 3 visits included a quick ultrasound to check fluid levels. Then again, I was on bedrest other than hospital visits, so laying on a bed with elastics wrapped around my belly was the highlight of my week if only because I was staring at different walls and ceilings for a while.
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Jun 25, 2013 01:31
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Had my first extracurricular visit to the Pregnant Lady Triage (or whatever they call it at my hospital). Left home feeling great, parked my car, and became severely out of breath in the 100 yd walk from car to work. Couldn't get my heart rate below 104 for about 20 minutes, blood pressure was 82/58 for an hour, dizziness when i would stand, and I was exhausted working with patients while sitting in a chair. Called into the doc's office, nurse told me to get someone to drive me to the hospital for a checkup. Thankfully, everything turned out okay and kiddo had a good strong HR. Now on antibiotics for a possible early bladder infection but I feel a million times better. Plus got to give everyone at work a fun scare since I apparently was white as a ghost. Good times at 15 weeks.
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Jun 25, 2013 02:01
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DwemerCog posted:I wrote a birth plan, it didn't even get read, because events took their own course. So just fill in the things you feel strongly about. This is really good advice. Very rarely do things go the way you want them to go when it comes to birth. However, you (and your partner especially) need to be your strongest advocates to get what you DO want. Even if you don't have a partner get someone to be there for you. Best friend, sister, father, cousin, whoever.
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Jun 25, 2013 04:37
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Russian Dollies, I was the same way more or less; I felt (and still feel, to some extent) guilty about it because I never had any "spiritual" (for lack of a better term) connection to pregnancy/childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth were kind of just the means to an end. My "birth plan" was "I want an epi, and I want to try to do both delayed cord clamping as well as donate cord blood to the public storage bank" and the only one of those things that happened was the epi. (I ran a fever so they couldn't take the cord blood, and they did delay clamping but not for long because they wanted to make sure the baby didn't have a fever too.)
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Jun 25, 2013 04:47
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rectal cushion posted:Giving birth Heh I hope it also cures all the other crazy poo poo my body has been doing since I got knocked up!Just hearing that it's not going to get any worse than it is already is a bit of a relief, thanks. The idea that it was going to get more severe as time went on was really freaking me out.
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Jun 25, 2013 05:40
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As far as labour clothing, I had a c-section, so I just changed into a gown. I think though I was naked for the actual operation once they got the spinal in. Maybe. I can't recall for the life of me. I have seen "birthing gowns" on etsy and stuff, which look cute. Like mumus with big bows, I think they clip down for feeding. I do have some sort of vague plan to put some makeup on after for pictures this go-round (I felt awesome, but as it turned out, looked like poo poo), but in every picture you're just sort of lying in bed, so the clothing part doesn't really count. sudont posted:Russian Dollies, I was the same way more or less; I felt (and still feel, to some extent) guilty about it because I never had any "spiritual" (for lack of a better term) connection to pregnancy/childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth were kind of just the means to an end. ong because they wanted to make sure the baby didn't have a fever too. This is pretty much mine. I don't really don't care that much about a particular experience about the experience, and I don't really attach any meaning to it, so I felt a bit like a tool trying to fill out the c-section plan. I guess I could have vetoed music ("please don't have the radio tuned to Nickleback".) I was tempted to fill out one of those ones from the internet that asks for dimmed lighting and quiet voices to respect the sanctity of the moment if a c-section was required, just to see what the reaction would be. Maybe think of your whole hospital experience? I do wish I had put somewhere in the "getting to know you" form that my partner at the time had 3 million friends who will all come to visit during whatever awkward situation I'm experiencing and to please kick them out or make up some imaginary hospital policy about number of visitors and such, so I kind of regret not having planned for that eventuality. ChloroformSeduction fucked around with this message at 07:57 on Jun 25, 2013 |
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Jun 25, 2013 07:53
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Our hospital sent us a form with some questions that I thought were pretty good: Do you have any previous birthing experiences that you'd like us to know about? What can the midwife do to give you as good an experience as possible? What do you/your partner need to feel safe and cared for? Have you and your partner done anything to prepare for the birth? What are your wishes and thoughts around pain relief? Is there something else the midwife should know about you/your partner?
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Jun 25, 2013 08:16
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sudont posted:Russian Dollies, I was the same way more or less; I felt (and still feel, to some extent) guilty about it because I never had any "spiritual" (for lack of a better term) connection to pregnancy/childbirth. Same here, my birth plan has always been pretty much 'have a baby'. This last time I was more focussed on getting as many drugs into me as I could because the time before was such a miserable painful experience, and I knew they were going to take the baby away as soon as she was born anyway so no chance for skin to skin. I didn't really have a bag packed for the labour because of the circumstances but the one thing I wish I had had is a water mister or something. That would have been awesome. I just laboured in a t-shirt, don't think they give out gowns here unless maybe for ceseareans.
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Jun 25, 2013 09:32
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Went in for a post-version check-up today - according to the doctor she's "as good as dropped", looked as perky and fit as ever, everything was just peachy in there, and I'm now on track to give birth the good old fashioned way at the midwife-led birth centre for non-complicated deliveries. Due date is the 5th, but she's welcome to come any time after the 1st of July, since the new parental leave rules come into effect then, giving us (or in essence my husband) two additional weeks off. I'm just so happy right now!
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Jun 25, 2013 14:38
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Sockmuppet posted:Went in for a post-version check-up today - according to the doctor she's "as good as dropped", looked as perky and fit as ever, everything was just peachy in there, and I'm now on track to give birth the good old fashioned way at the midwife-led birth centre for non-complicated deliveries. That's wonderful  I'm so happy for you!
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Jun 25, 2013 14:53
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Sockmuppet posted:Went in for a post-version check-up today - according to the doctor she's "as good as dropped", looked as perky and fit as ever, everything was just peachy in there, and I'm now on track to give birth the good old fashioned way at the midwife-led birth centre for non-complicated deliveries. Woohoo! That is great! 
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Jun 25, 2013 16:48
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Some others here might appreciate this: A&D Diaper Ointment makes my baby smell like new tattoos.
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Jun 25, 2013 17:44
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I had my first appointment with my midwife today. I think I'm somewhere between 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 weeks pregnant, but due to the complete lack of period signs between miscarriage and conception, nobody has a clue. I was rather impressed when the midwife whipped out a handheld ultrasound scanner about the size of a couple smart phones stacked on top of each other. I was much less impressed when she started looking around about two inches above my pubic bone. Lady, you're a midwife. You should know that between 5 and 7 weeks, my uterus is behind my pubic bone. When I ever so kindly mentioned this might be the case, she said, "Oh! right..." and moved it to on top of my pubic bone.  Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but the last time I had an ultrasound, which was April 19th, mind you, the radiologist basically lined it up right above my pubic bone, and practically shoved the wand down and behind it to get a good shot. A few minutes later, the midwife made the same push and curl behind my pubic bone movement to feel my uterus to see if it was getting larger as hoped. Now, why would you do that with your hand, and not with the wand? I've decided I like the other midwife better. jota23 fucked around with this message at 22:58 on Jun 25, 2013 |
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Jun 25, 2013 22:27
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jota23 posted:I had my first appointment with my midwife today. I think I'm somewhere between 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 weeks pregnant, but due to the complete lack of period signs between miscarriage and conception, nobody has a clue. You go to these early pregnancy scans without a full bladder? In our department every pelvic scan bar a third trimester scan requires starting with a full bladder for a good acoustic window for the external abdominal scan. Depending on the patient I know I can have my transducer in seemingly odd places to get a better look initially. You're basically aiming to get the full bladder squashed between your transducer and the uterus so it shows the uterus nicely (and if the patient did the right thing and has a super full bladder this usually isn't very comfortable), so sometimes I'm higher or lower, off to the sides, or digging in because there's nothing in the bladder (or not if the patient is very large; there's no point trying to break your arm scanning her transabdominally, we then rely on an internal scan if the patient agrees). Some women have bulkier uteruses post pregnancy or due to fibroid change, or they're slim and don't have much between skin surface and uterus, or they have retroverted uteruses, all that changes where the transducer ends up--the screen is what I'd be going off, not specifically where your pubic bone is.
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Jun 25, 2013 23:05
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I appreciate the feedback! My bladder was definitely full. At least there was a method to the madness. In the end, she didn't find anything, told me not to worry, and scheduled me for an ultrasound in a couple weeks.
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Jun 25, 2013 23:39
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At the practice I went to, it was transvag before 8 weeks.
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Jun 26, 2013 00:11
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Yeah, our work prefers we do both transvaginal and transabdominal for early dating scans. Some patients are rather reticent about internal scans because of the invasive nature, particularly with a male sonographer. You can sometimes get away without a TV scan if the patient is slim and her bladder is moderately full. I had one this afternoon where the patient was very plus-sized, and the external part of the scan didn't resolve the embryo whatsoever even with a decent bladder. Perfect 6 week embryo with a teeny tiny heart fluttering away madly on the internal scan though :3 At that gestational age they're only about 5-6mm long!
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Jun 26, 2013 10:42
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My uterus was so retrograde they had to do the NT test transvaginally. Fortunately, by the time I got to 18 weeks for the fetal survey, it had popped up more. I'm also surprised they saw you so early. My midwife didn't want to see us until I was 8 or 9 weeks along. Thirty-eight weeks yesterday... I guess we still have a lot to do to get ready, but I'm kind of done being butted in the ribs and not being able to roll over in bed and peeing every fifteen seconds.
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Jun 26, 2013 13:16
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Normally the midwives wait until 8 weeks to see a newly pregnant mother, but she wanted to see me at 6 weeks because of the previous miscarriage. Something about offering progesterone to prevent another miscarriage. I declined. One miscarriage is not a recurrent history.
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Jun 26, 2013 14:14
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Thanks to everyone that responded regarding birth plans. I was seriously questioning why I wasn't all ~*Gaia Earth Mother*~ with a three page birth plan including all minute details covered like my sister was. Makes me feel better to know that it is perfectly normal, and I'm not some aberration of the female sex. I'll probably do what was suggested, and plan to do skin-to-skin right after birth, and play by ear anything else as it pops up. As to family visits, my boyfriend and I have already planned it out. He gets to play goalie, and keep people out. Maybe take the baby out to see them in the waiting room, since that's honestly all they'll really be there for anyway. Russian Dollies fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Jun 26, 2013 |
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Jun 26, 2013 20:41
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Russian Dollies posted:As to family visits, my boyfriend and I have already planned it out. He gets to play goalie, and keep people out. Maybe take the baby out to see them in the waiting room, since that's honestly all they'll really be there for anyway. That might not be possible. My hospital has a rule that the baby stays in the bassinet if they're not in the nursery or Mom's room. Plus there will probably be a security system in place so no one can run off with your baby... if your husband tried to take her to the waiting room he might put the whole floor on lockdown! I think a lot less people visit you in the hospital than you think. You're only in there for a couple days anyways, so tell them to hold off till you get home. I only had both sets of grandparents visit when I was in. In other news, I was worried that Emily was sleeping too much and not eating well, but she gained a whole pound in just ten days so I guess I have one healthy baby! The pediatrician told me to enjoy my quiet baby. Now if only I could get her to sleep in the drat sidecar bassinet...
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Jun 27, 2013 17:37
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Lyz posted:That might not be possible. My hospital has a rule that the baby stays in the bassinet if they're not in the nursery or Mom's room. Plus there will probably be a security system in place so no one can run off with your baby... if your husband tried to take her to the waiting room he might put the whole floor on lockdown! My hospital had the same rule, but they did say that as long as they were in the bassinet then you could walk the halls with them. That said the waiting room was past the nurses station and they said that the alarm would go off if the baby went past the nurses station. I honestly would suggest hosting a "meet the baby" BBQ after the wee one gets here. Much easier than trying to keep people out of the hospital. If they know they'll have a chance to see the baby soon after they get here they seemed to be mollified in my family.
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Jun 27, 2013 17:59
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Killer_Frost posted:I honestly would suggest hosting a "meet the baby" BBQ after the wee one gets here. Much easier than trying to keep people out of the hospital. If they know they'll have a chance to see the baby soon after they get here they seemed to be mollified in my family. If there are those that just can't wait, the hospitals near me have open windows into the nursery. Anyone can look in and see your baby while you get a few minutes to regroup and catch a nap.
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Jun 27, 2013 18:02
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jota23 posted:If there are those that just can't wait, the hospitals near me have open windows into the nursery. Anyone can look in and see your baby while you get a few minutes to regroup and catch a nap. Also may not be a possibility, lots of hospitals have been closing their curtains to protect patient privacy. Thanks HIPAA! But of course lots of hospitals do things differently, so you should ask.
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Jun 27, 2013 18:22
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