Stupid Questions Thread

thomas930

Rachnan said:

Have one and can't remember if it's been addressed in other threads: LO was measuring a couple weeks ahead this morning, is there any correlation with size and delivery week? If he is measuring that way going forward am I more likely to have him earlier or is it just likely to have him around the right time and just have a bigger boy?

Fundal height can measure ahead or behind due to baby's position and ultrasounds can be off as well, so really its only a guess as to how big baby is. Even if he is on the larger side it doesn't mean that you will go into labor early.

Mrs.Kohalic17

I have one thats really random.... When I went to L&D the other night they did a quick u/s to check my placenta and she said he was head down. Will he stay like that at this point or flip flop back and forth?? 

AcaAwkward

Mrs.Kohalic17 said:

I have one thats really random.... When I went to L&D the other night they did a quick u/s to check my placenta and she said he was head down. Will he stay like that at this point or flip flop back and forth?? 

How many weeks are you? Babies can generally flip all the way up to delivery, but it becomes a lot less likely between 32-35 weeks.

Mrs.Kohalic17

31+1 today. He's been moving like crazy and I was just wondering if it's his butt I feel sticking out or his head. Lol

MrsB915

patunia7321 said:

I feel like this is a super stupid question but here we go: Does anyone have any tips for position when having to elevate your feet to relieve swelling? I have really horrible swelling (bp & protein ok- so it's just a nuisance symptom) but any position I sit or lay in while trying to elevate puts tons of pressure on my back and is uncomfortable. Any pillow placement or position tricks?

I always find that if my knees are bent a little rather than completly straight while elevated it tends to relieve any pressure I'm feeling in my low back.

Ashleypixie

eme520 said:

My turn for a really stupid question:

Can I wear yoga pants or shorts under my gown during early labor? I'm looking at some of the laboring positions in my book like lunges, open knee chest and hands and knees and thinking, wow, there's a wide open vagina situation there. I mean, my vagina is waxed, bleached and beautiful, but still....

I know they will need to be removed for cervical checks, but hoping others may have been allowed to wear pants. 

You can try, but they probably won't let you. Or after a while you won't even want to. They're always up in there checking your cervix and pants may become a total pain in the ass to keep putting on and taking off every 30 minutes.

snowbound

After watching the video in that vag thread, I have to ask. Do you have to be fully exposed like in that video? Or is there any way you can be semi-covered with a sheet up to your knees?

snowbound

poru said:

hbell12 said:

After watching the video in that vag thread, I have to ask. Do you have to be fully exposed like in that video? Or is there any way you can be semi-covered with a sheet up to your knees?

when it comes time, you wont want anything in the way. I am sure you can ask for and use s het, but you will be hot, moving a round a bit etc. even if you have a epi and push on your back, you will still want to lean forward and hold someone's hand for physical support during pushes etc and the sheet will just be a pain if it keeps moving. Modesty goes out the window for most people in that moment.

Ah! I figured that'd be the last thing Id worried about when the time came. I'm generally a very private/discreet person but I guess when you're pushing a human out you really don't care about modesty.

Twirple

I don't think you would want to wear pants because they will be checking you regularly for dilation.  My vag. looked like Sasquatch last time and I couldn't have cared less! 

nikki912

nikki912 said:

spano41 said:

So the mucus plug thread reminded me to ask....when we are talking mucus plug, how much mucus are we talking? Teaspoon, tablespoon, 1/3 Cup? I asked my instructor and I don't think she knew because she evaded the question and never really answered. I'd just like to know what to be expecting.

It can be thin strands, a tablespoon, a golf ball, or you could have nothing. I didn't notice it until I was in labor and even then it was just smeared on TP after peeing.

eme520 said:

My turn for a really stupid question:

Can I wear yoga pants or shorts under my gown during early labor? I'm looking at some of the laboring positions in my book like lunges, open knee chest and hands and knees and thinking, wow, there's a wide open vagina situation there. I mean, my vagina is waxed, bleached and beautiful, but still....

I know they will need to be removed for cervical checks, but hoping others may have been allowed to wear pants. 

I wore a knee length very comfy skirt w/o underwear and labored in that and a tank for awhile. Easy access for a check and i didnt have to worry about underwear with all the bathroom visits.

I was in a BC though.

jgreig83

Ok I have a really dumb question!!! I am not leaking yet, and I have no experience at all with breastfeeding. Where exactly does the milk come from (i.e. the nipple itself or the area around classified as the areola)??

sking72

ColleenSwerb said:

I have 10 weeks to go and I already hate wearing pants. Being even bigger, rounder, more uncomfortable and having to pull pants up and down multiple times while dealing with contractions (and leaking everywhere if your water breaks) sounds like absolute torture to me.

I'm the opposite, I have to wear pants, or my thighs chafe (sp?). I need to learn that I can't keep going commando either because leakage is annoying.

I plan on just wearing my robe during labor. It's a youth large so it barely covers my ass, but I figured I'd be mostly naked by the end anyway. Is this a good idea?

jgreig83

sking72 said:

I have 10 weeks to go and I already hate wearing pants. Being even bigger, rounder, more uncomfortable and having to pull pants up and down multiple times while dealing with contractions (and leaking everywhere if your water breaks) sounds like absolute torture to me.

I'm the opposite, I have to wear pants, or my thighs chafe (sp?). I need to learn that I can't keep going commando either because leakage is annoying. I plan on just wearing my robe during labor. It's a youth large so it barely covers my ass, but I figured I'd be mostly naked by the end anyway. Is this a good idea?

The hospital I go to has gowns that do up in the back, and then you can wear one facing the front too. So if I want to walk the halls I am not flashing everyone.  I plan on keeping the one that faces the front open to have skin to skin contact while I am in the last stage of labor with a tank top for the top portion. I am not a big "lay down and deliver" believer, so everyone will just have to deal with me squatting with major vag shots. It is nothing they haven't seen before. 

katiedidthat

I wore pants and a tshirt until I got my epidural and no one said I couldn't. I didn't want to walk the halls feeling naked and I was only checked for dilation when I got to the hospital and twice when I requested it.  After I had the epidural I wore a robe and bra and kept the sheet over my lap until pushing time.  At pushing time I don't see how you could keep a sheet on though, your legs will be everywhere and the doctors need access.  

Also- its a pretty good indicator that you're ready to go to the hospital when you can no longer walk and talk through contractions.  For some women, waiting until transition means possibly delivering in the car. 

snowbound

This is a silly question and hard to explain. I know what booties are but I also see "booties" that look exactly like socks and then regular socks. What's the difference? Also, which ones are best? I noticed my friend cannot keep socks on her LO because they either fall/slide off or LO kicks them off.

snowbound

ColleenSwerb said:

And I didn't really worry about socks. It was warm enough that he was fine in a onesie and pants and no socks, or I threw a blanket over his lower half. (Born beginning of March, so End of April will be even less of an issue for me.)

Thanks. I figured socks are socks either way and kids are bound to kick them off at some point. Maybe it's the picture online that is misleading because I don't see a difference really. I'll probably opt for taller socks and rock the old man style like you did.

Kyllarae

I thought of a couple more today.. Is it necessary to boil the bottles/ nipples to sanitize them before the first use? Doesn't the dishwasher sanitize just the same? And when do you start putting the baby on tummy time?

baileymama3

jellysparkles said:

jgreig83 said:

Ok I have a really dumb question!!! I am not leaking yet, and I have no experience at all with breastfeeding. Where exactly does the milk come from (i.e. the nipple itself or the area around classified as the areola)??

It's like the setting on a hose sprayer that has multiple streams in slightly different directions, and comes from the tiny crevices in the nipple itself.


What??? I thought it only came out the tip... But I never thought of it really. Must look up...
Edit: looked up, I am am idiot. Totally thought you all were saying it came from the areola too! Oops!

nikki912

Kyllarae said:

I thought of a couple more today.. Is it necessary to boil the bottles/ nipples to sanitize them before the first use? Doesn't the dishwasher sanitize just the same? And when do you start putting the baby on tummy time?

I've always just used the dishwasher- I'm sure there is someone out there who won't agree...

We started the dreaded tummy time pretty much right away. They suggest you wait until the umbilical stump falls off but not to wait more than a month to start supervised tummy time.

patunia7321

@nikki912 why dreaded?

rockstarlaw

^ I was wondering the same thing

Edit: posted to fast

patunia7321

Oh. Great.

MapleLeafMama

dani+california said:

Aw man, I didn't know they didn't like it. So like...just leave them til they get used to it? I need to know these things for when DH asks me why our baby is screaming and rotating in a circle and I'm not doing anything about it. Ahahaha

You work up to it.  maybe 20 seconds the first few times, then 30, then a minute, then keep adding time until they progressively get used to it.  Getting down on the floor on YOUR tummy and being at eye level or sticking toys in their site lines makes it more bearable for them.   

That being said, you can do tummy time when they are itty bitty just by them lying on their tummies on your chest, doesn't have to be the floor.

nikki912

Yeah tummy time is pretty universally hated by babies. We spaced out 30 second to one minute intervals until he could handle it for longer. It always seemed like torture but its really beneficial!

patunia7321

eme520 said:

patunia7321 said:

Oh. Great.

Eh, I'm a FTM but I wouldn't worry too much. Seems like parenthood is going to be a lot of making kids do things they are going to cry about because its good for them in the long run.

Ha! Sounds like a pretty great summary of this whole endeavor. 

MapleLeafMama

eme520 said:

patunia7321 said:

Oh. Great.

Eh, I'm a FTM but I wouldn't worry too much. Seems like parenthood is going to be a lot of making kids do things they are going to cry about because its good for them in the long run.

Yep. Parenthood is full of making kids do things they don't want.  First it's tummy time, then it's brushing their teeth and wiping their own asses.  It's not all a ball of fun.

ksulli

DD liked tummy time.

I think I had a sheet over my business to the knees while pushing.

sking72

what book or website or what should I be reading to know all these things I should be making my kid do? I heard "what to expect in the first year" was good but I feel clueless about what I'm "supposed" to be teaching my kid. Like tummy time: no idea that was a thing.

spano41

I'm a FTM but I'm reading Baby 411 and like it. Hopefully the advice is good!

ETA: I also have What to Expect the First Year but I find the writing really annoying and cheesy so I will probably only use that one as a reference instead of actually reading it.

nikki912

I liked a few different ones for different things:

-Happiest baby on the block (helps you deal with fussy/colic babies)
-Healthy sleep habits, healthy child- awesome for when sleep becomes an issue
-heading home with your newborn- all the new stuff you need to know
-baby 411 for the day to day

Twirple

aronie82 said:

Crap on a stick I'm overwhelmed

I feel the need to pass on the only piece of advice I'll give out without being asked.  

Babies are meant to survive new parents.

ksulli

Also, your pedi should tell you the essential things (tummy time, back for sleep, nothing in the crib, food around 6 mos, etc)

patunia7321

Every time I start to freak out DH reminds me of all the complete idiots we know with surviving children, his motto- if they can do it, we can do it. Not nice, but always makes me feel better anyway.  

Glad to see happiest baby on the block getting love from experienced mamas, that's what I'm currently reading and was hoping it wasn't BS. 

AcaAwkward

Baby 411 is my FAVORITE general baby parenting book -- seriously, that book was my best friend. The section on when you really need to call the doctor/go to the doctor/go to the ER was dog-earred into oblivion.

I also liked Happiest Baby for soothing! There is a DVD you can Netflix as well that basically goes over everything pertinent in the book -- really good if you're short on time or if your SO doesn't want to read the whole book.

rockstarlaw

Glad to hear Happiest Baby is on Netflix! I was planning on searching for that today. I have no idea how to swaddled anything.

Airynn Chica

nikki912 said:

I thought of a couple more today.. Is it necessary to boil the bottles/ nipples to sanitize them before the first use? Doesn't the dishwasher sanitize just the same? And when do you start putting the baby on tummy time?

I've always just used the dishwasher- I'm sure there is someone out there who won't agree... We started the dreaded tummy time pretty much right away. They suggest you wait until the umbilical stump falls off but not to wait more than a month to start supervised tummy time.

This! I think around 2/3 weeks or so. We also let her nap on her tummy as well.

sweetmelissa0707

Ooopsbaby14 said:

. The way I went about things probably horrifies some people, just as I can not imagine being some of my friends who bed shared and are now having a miserable time getting a 2 year old out of their beds. The same methods may not even work for Swerbaby2.0.

Don't start something you don't want continue! If you don't want a 3yr old in your bed, don't let your baby get too comfortable being there! Sure it's "easier" now. A little hardship early on will save you headaches later on.

While that may be true for some, you can also end up pleasantly surprised. I bed shared with both of mine as babies, but both sleep through the night in their own beds/ rooms and have been doing so since they were under a year. It can really depend on their personality.

katiedidthat

We never did tummy time.  Literally, never, because DS screamed every time and I didn't want to listen to him cry and he is just fine.  And we were bed-sharers from 3 months - 12 months or so and he transitioned to his crib with no fuss or 'training'.  Lucky?  Probably.  We've never had a bedtime routine either and I nursed to sleep until he weaned.  For me it was all about avoiding the screaming, and I plan to be the same way with 2.0.  Whatever it takes to prevent crying- we do. 

Basically- parenting really is a lot of trial and error.  You have to REALLY screw up to do permanent damage. 

nicole mackenzie

nikki912 said:

Yeah tummy time is pretty universally hated by babies. We spaced out 30 second to one minute intervals until he could handle it for longer. It always seemed like torture but its really beneficial!

What's the purpose of tummy time?

Strengthening muscles? A step towards learning to crawl?

Also my friend assured me that although I'm a pushover now and my mom guilts me into things and I'm worried about setting boundaries with my sister about her dog... When baby comes I will have new found courage and be able to just say what I feel because it will be about my baby?

MapleLeafMama

nicole mackenzie said:

Yeah tummy time is pretty universally hated by babies. We spaced out 30 second to one minute intervals until he could handle it for longer. It always seemed like torture but its really beneficial!

What's the purpose of tummy time? Strengthening muscles? A step towards learning to crawl? Also my friend assured me that although I'm a pushover now and my mom guilts me into things and I'm worried about setting boundaries with my sister about her dog... When baby comes I will have new found courage and be able to just say what I feel because it will be about my baby?

Strengthening neck muscles so they aren't bobble heads for their entire life.