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January 2017 Moms
LastMango
member
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Ask a STM+ Week of 9/19
LastMango
member
Re: Ask a STM+ Week of 9/19
1) Did you take a birthing class or any preparation class for the baby? If yes, how far in advance did you take it?
2) If you breastfed, did you meet with a lactation consultant prior to birth? I have a more complicated situation given a past surgery, but I'm just curious what else they might cover in a meeting.
BFP#5 5/22/17 EDD:1/27/17 It's a GIRL!!!!
2) no, but I took the breastfeeding class. I don't believe the woman who taught it was an LC but she was a nurse with about 30 years or so of experience and she was very knowledgeable. Honestly, while meeting with someone might not be necessary, it can't possibly hurt, so if you think it might be helpful to you I'd go for it! Breastfeeding can be really hard at first and the more contacts you have who can help you if you need it, the better.
@christac1010
1) Did you take a birthing class or any preparation class for the baby? If yes, how far in advance did you take it?
I took Bradley method classes for the labor and delivery portion. Our hospital also offers a lot of labor and delivery classes. They also offer a lot of general baby classes. We took a lot (I'm a knowledge junkie). Most seemed common sense to me but I'd been around babies being the last of my siblings to have kids but definitely good to have. They were on things like swaddling, bathing, etc. Very good hands on practice with plastic babies. My husband got a lot out of those too as he had barely ever held a baby prior to his own. We also took the breastfeeding class offered through the hospital. I also recommend a first aid/cpr class that trains on babies if you are not already certified. Our hospital advised how far in advance to take them. I think the birthing classes are mid to late 2nd trimester and the baby ones are any time after 27 weeks. We ended up missing one because we scheduled it for 37 weeks and were actually in the hospital delivering at that time.
2) If you breastfed, did you meet with a lactation consultant prior to birth? I have a more complicated situation given a past surgery, but I'm just curious what else they might cover in a meeting.
We didn't meet with anyone ahead of time but took the class at the hospital. That gave us some introduction in to pillow and positions and pumps. Our area has a great group of International Breastfeeding Counselors that host a meeting and encourage expecting moms to come to. I think anything you can do to familiarize yourself with what's to come is helpful because in the moment it's stressful and you want to feed your baby. If you have some heads up to how to handle certain situations it makes those moments a little less frantic. We met with the hospital lactation consultants after he was born. I can pretty much say if I get the same one that was on call when I was discharged I will be telling her to leave the room and declining her assistance. Her bedside manner was terrible. However, the other one's I've met with were good.
Team Blue ~ Jan. 20
DS born 9/4/12
MMC July 2015
MMC January 2016
The hospital I am delivering at also has LCs on staff that will visit after delivery, but I've read mixed reviews about people's experiences there so I'd rather be prepared.
Birth Class: I didn't take one, we just never had time so I read a few books and that was pretty much it. I felt super prepared though and didn't have any problems with labor or delivery. But I definitely think they're beneficial so if you can swing it take one!
LC: I didn't meet with a LC. The one on staff at the hospital did come to see me the day after I gave birth and asked if I had any questions or wanted any information but we'd pretty much established a good system and routine by then and I didn't have any questions for her. She gave me a card to call if I needed anything but I never did.
Along the same lines as far as breastfeeding, one of my friends, who is also a red head, said she had a lot of difficulty and pain and even bleeding when BF her daughter. When she called an on call LC, she was told that it's typically harder for redheads to BF and that we bleed more. Has anyone else heard of this or are there any redheads with BF experience? It's really amazing all the crazy things people tell you when you're pregnant...
Me: 33 DH: 38 Married: 1/10/15
1st Pregnancy EDD: 1/1/17 Born 1/10/17 Team Green turned Blue!
2nd Pregnancy EDD: 11/6/18 Born 11/09/18 Baby Boy!
3rd Pregnancy EDD: 12/?/21
Children are like casseroles; it takes a lot to mess them up.
Me: 33 DH: 38 Married: 1/10/15
1st Pregnancy EDD: 1/1/17 Born 1/10/17 Team Green turned Blue!
2nd Pregnancy EDD: 11/6/18 Born 11/09/18 Baby Boy!
3rd Pregnancy EDD: 12/?/21
Children are like casseroles; it takes a lot to mess them up.
2. I didn't breastfeed, but I did take a class about it. It was a really helpful class, and gave a lot of good information. I just really, really hated breastfeeding and it made me unbelievably anxious and angry. The hospital we delivered at had onsite LCs, and I had one that was really helpful and supportive, especially after I explained my feelings. And then I had another one, who basically shamed me and made me cry because I didn't like, or want to continue, breastfeeding.
No breastfeeding class either. The nurses helped me with it while I was at the hospital and was super thankful for them. At 6 weeks I started having what I thought were supply issues and was able to get in touch with the leaders of the local la
leche league and they were so helpful! If you don't take a class I would definitely find out if there's a local place you can go if you need help. Turns out my period came back at 6 weeks PP and messed with my supply. It wasn't a huge deal, I just knew from then on whenever my
period came around I might have to pump or let my son cluster feed the first few days to keep my supply up.
I checked out the other classes my hospital offers- Bradley method and natural birthing and hypnobabies, childcare and breastfeeding and parenting 0-6 months and 6-12 months, even yoga and water aerobics! It's pretty rad!
Team Blue ~ Jan. 20
DS born 9/4/12
MMC July 2015
MMC January 2016
Although, I feel no pain when I steal someone's soul. MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Team Blue ~ Jan. 20
DS born 9/4/12
MMC July 2015
MMC January 2016
...but no, I'm not hormonal at all.
I asked about seeing a lactarion consultant and was told by multiple doctors that there was no point until I'd given birth and they could help then. Looking back, I think this was a good call.
If you have the 3 hour test, that's a fasting test.
@christac1010, take all the classes you can. lol. I took a birth class, baby care class, cpr, and breastfeeding. I knew a lot of the information already, but it was a good refresher and I learned a lot I did not know. I felt more prepared having taken the classes. Even if you only use 10% on the information I think it is smart to do. And before paying for anything check what your insurance offers, hospital offers, and ob office. I only had to pay for one on the 4 classes I took thanks to free classes through insurance, my ob office and the hospital! Best tip I ever got was to take your husband to the breast feeding class, it is important for them to learn about it too and to learn that their job is to support the mother while trying to establish breastfeeding. A good birth class is beneficial just to learn about the stages of labor and different positions you can get in to help with pain, and the role of your support person/husband during labor. Anytime in third tri is good, don't wait to late. And some fill up quickly.
Also, look into taking a hospital tour just to be familiar with their maternity ward and rules they may have there. It is good to know and see where you will be giving birth before the big day. And sign up early. Our hospital tour list was 3 months out when I went to sign up the first time and I barely got in before baby was due.
And anyone who is sad about their first not being an only child, just wait.
My boys are almost 4 and 2 and love each other so much. If the little one is crying my oldest will do anything to get him to smile and they love playing together and hugging each other. I swear it makes me cry seeing how they interact together and how much they want to be together.
DS2: 11/5/14
Diagnosed with Hashimoto's 06/17
TTC #2: 01/2019
BFP #2 09/24/19--Ended in chemical pregnancy
BFP #3 07/02/2020 Due: 03/10/2021
FYI on pumps, Most (I'm not going to say all because I am pretty sure Tricare doesn't) insurance companies in the US cover a breast pump as a result of the affordable care act so make sure you are checking. The types of pumps and requirements vary from company to company. For example, mine will provide one with every pregnancy, some will provide one every 3 years. Also, some require it to be ordered through a Durable Medical Equipment provider which requires a prescription from your doctor and some won't cover it until 1 month prior to your due date. But definitely look in to it. There are national DME's that you can order from that actually do all the insurance work so there is nothing you have to do to get it. It's pretty sweet.