Med-free Check-in 11/10

slartybartfast

1) how far along?
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week?
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?

acreight13

1) how far along? Almost 35 weeks
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week? Exhausting. As per usual.
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smoothed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?

Listening to good music, getting some good snuggles from DS, and this may sound weird but I'm super excited for my alone shopping trip to Costco because my mom is going to have DS and my husband is going hunting. Hurray for some solo time! 

Austenista

Yesterday as the nurse was torturing me trying to draw blood (obviously wasn't a talent of hers) she mentioned "You'd be a great candidate for natural birth, you're so good at deflecting your thoughts through the pain." Uh, thanks? 

ajstevenson

1) how far along? 33 tomorrow

2) how has pregnancy treated you this week? Ugh. Working full time is really starting to hurt. My boss is back tomorrow and I may be talking with her about working partially from home for the remainder of my pregnancy.

3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smoothed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to? Being proactive in getting my To-Do List done before baby comes. It's nice to have a positive distraction.

slartybartfast

1) 35 weeks tomorrow
2) OMG. Life is nuts with everything going on. My work is overloaded. DH's work is overloaded. And yet I'm still getting all my DS time in. It's put pregnancy in the back of my mind which is actually refreshing. And baby girl has been moving with strength and frequency that makes me feel like she's growing strong in there

3) So this is a big one for me. Coming from a family of addicts, I was raised to believe feelings of discomfort and stress need to be medicated and banished immediately. Since becoming an adult, I turned more to exercise... but it's still a placation technique. I've always heard, sit with your discomfort but it's only til recently that I realized how to do that.
So the counselor I'm going to has this exercise to do - write down 1) what was the most uncomfortable thing you did today 2) how did you deal with that 3) was that effective.

It's made me realize that to be effective in addressing what discomfort I can I need to let the emotional spike happen and sure enough, it can't last forever, and when it's gone I can think far more clearly... so don't "treat" the emotional spike with sugar or avoidance or alcohol or whatever, let it spike.

The biggest thing that makes this feel doable is the concept that it's not about doing what's good/bad/right/wrong. It's about doing what's effective.

With the election stress I'm having shopping therapy. Except instead of stuff for me I'm throwing money at organizations that take on causes I'm really passionate about.
Yesterday I had to switch gears really quick between meetings and didn't have time to be ragey and upset so I tried deep breaths while going from one meeting to the next.
It worked okay.

tinattt23

1) how far along?
34 weeks

2) how has pregnancy treated you this week?
Good. Just chugging along. 

3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?
I'm pretty good at letting things roll off me and not getting stressed about much of anything. But when things do come up on occasion, I really have no method of coping. If it's something I can do something about, I work on it with a vengeance throwing all else aside. If it's something I have no control over, I push it aside. Probably not super healthy. 

PensiveCrayon

1) how far along? 33 weeks today

2) how has pregnancy treated you this week? Pretty good! I think I experienced my first bout of lightning crotch while on a walk yesterday. It wasn't quite what I expected though, so maybe not. Whoooo knows.

3) what coping mechanisms are you turning to? Um...eating, bumping, and sleeping? I'm not the greatest at coping, but then again, I'm generally a non-anxious person, so most of the time, it's okay.

SmashJam

1) how far along?  37 weeks tomorrow! w00t!
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week? So shitty. I have been having "real" contractions and they are painful, coupled with these crazy BH that give me hot flashes, and walking is so painful it feels like a baby is going to straight up drop out of my vagina. I never hit the miserable stage with DS, but I'm there. Work is just so hard and I am glad I am done next week. 
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?
Reading, writing (NaNoWriMo is this month!) and bumping! I also, up until recently, spent a lot of time worrying about the future when there was no point in doing so, and not enjoying the positive things about the present. I have been trying really hard to be forgiving to myself and focus on what is going well in teh moment, and not let anxiety send me into a spiral of hopelessness. When I feel myself heading in that direction, I usually find a quiet space (shower works nicely for me at home) and I just talk to myself about calming down, enjoying the present, and not letting myself get worked up about a future that may or may not happen the way I am, for some reason, envisioning it happening. Its been pretty helpful in keeping myself a little more calm.

PensiveCrayon

High five on NaNoWriMo @SmashJam!

jandd2014

1) how far along? 37 tomorrow!
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week? I'm feeling heavier this week. Not necessarily bigger, just heavier.
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to? I'm eating a lot of ice cream... which I know I shouldn't be but that's all I have left (no wine, no long walks with the dogs). I just downloaded the app Headspace last week and I like their short meditations. There's also been a few times that I've written about whatever is bugging me and then either deleted it or threw it away, but just writing it down helped. 

zubenescamali

1) how far along? 34 weeks
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week?  not kindly. I now get "stuck" mid stride, and when I try to move my leg I get stabbing pain in my back and crotch. Definitely having some sciatic nerve irritation too - my thighs and vag area are numb and tingling/burning. BH on the regular.  
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to? I'm a pretty stressful person, I don't typically eat or drink my feelings though. Sometimes I get ragey at DH. But he has a magical way of usually making me laugh and talking me down. 

maamawaabangi

1- 33 weeks
2- Its a daily changing thing. I have been emotional recently. My varicose veins are being punks! And I feel sort of done, but know I have many weeks in front of me. Slightly disheartening. 
3- Coping... I think accepting where I am is important. At times I like to keep busy, but can't over do it. Finding balance. I'm a big "preparer" and like to be on top of the logistics is a form of coping for me... I try to practice self-care so that I can then in turn take care of my people well. Things like laying down each day to rest and having quite, baths, hot tea, and getting time with my man are all forms of self-care that help me. I've also been saying "no" a lot to people these days... with out any regret.

Also... I started eating dates this week! So far I've had them in smoothies, plain, on pizza and with peanut butter... they rocked in the pizza!!! 

SmashJam

@PensiveCrayon thanks! I didn't "win" last year but I wrote 17,000 ish words-more than I've written in a long time. i have a writing buddy doing it with me and its great!

karmba

1) how far along?
36 + 1
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week?
Ok.  I had a growth scan this week and the baby is tiny!  He's measuring in the 13th percentile and under 10th if they don't use his head measurements.  They did a NST and he passed easily but there's been talk of inducing around 38/39 weeks and I'm not sure what to think about that.
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?
Does distraction count?  I read, knit, watch tv etc.

tinattt23

@karmba I have a scan scheduled for 36 weeks because he's measuring small, too. I considered declining it but my OB assured me she wouldn't be concerned unless he was under 5% (or some other obvious issue). If induction gets brought up, I'm going to ask we play by ear using NSTs and repeated ultrasounds. As long as he's passing the NSTs and continuing to grow along his own growth curve, I feel comfortable leaving him in.

I was under 7lbs, was always the smallest kid in school, and never made it past 5 foot. FI is only 5'8" so it's not surprising we've made a small baby. What are your genetics like? For me, I feel ok knowing my whole family is tiny. If our genes weren't so little, I might be a little more concerned. 

PensiveCrayon

@maamawaabangi I was just listening to a podcast yesterday with a doula/midwife who recommends her clients eat dates during the entire 3rd trimester. She says 60-70% of her clients, even FTM's have very quick labors. So...the evidence is anecdotal, but I was also thinking I might get started with them!

Also, for anyone interested, the podcast is called The Birth Hour. It's essentially just birth stories from every type of experience. I've really, really been enjoying it.

maamawaabangi

Thanks @PensiveCrayon I'll check that out. I'd love to see more science on why it is dates are so effective! I'm hoping that this baby doesn't go overdue like most of mine have... but oh well! 

leksiL

I've been eating six dates a day like candy! I will eat them with peanuts if they get too sweet. Our OB has not done any measuring except for measuring my uterus - is that the type of measuring other people are getting too? 

1. 35 weeks! 
2. I got NO sleep this week due to electoral anxiety (ugh) and being sick. I am so stuffed up. So i'm working from my couch in my pajamas. I did have a very sweet shower at work yesterday and got a HUGE gift card so hopefully feeling good enough to go shopping this weekend.
3. Stress - music is so good for me, exercise and deep breathing. I was glad I was not allowed to drink this week! 

At the end of the day I'm hoping to rest up this weekend so that I can start next week in a new light and approach this last month or so of pregnancy with a positive attitude!

tinattt23

@leksiL Yes, I've just been having my fundal height measured each appointment. But since it's small, they've scheduled an ultrasound to do more measurements. 

PensiveCrayon

@leksiL Same here, but my midwife actually doesn't do any internal checks, even during labor. 

mommy_af

1) how far along?
34 + 4
2) how has pregnancy treated you this week?
This week has be fine. I'm going to echo @jandd2014 - this baby is definitely feeling heavier in my pelvis. The waddle is real. I don't know if this means she has dropped, because she's always been pretty low. 
3) not that they are effective in the long run anyway, but many of the more common ways we deal with stress aren't available during pregnancy (drinking, comfort food- which heartburn and smooshed stomach can make less appealing, a hard work out) - what coping mechanisms are you turning to?
I've really been enjoying prenatal massage and yoga. But I only get one of those once or twice a week. Focusing on my breathing has been helpful in moments of acute stress. Focusing on baby's movements has also been a nice way to bring my mind back to the positive. I figure I should enjoy the kicks now, since I won't be able to after baby is here and I have my old (good or bad) coping methods back. Unfortunately, this has resulted in me being late for work a lot, as I would much rather stay in bed in the morning and watch my belly move, than get up and commute. Good thing my office it very flexible.
@PensiveCrayon that podcast sounds really cool, I'll definitely check it out. Thanks for sharing.

karmba

@tinattt23 yep we were both small babies.  My mom had four kids, all between 6 lbs and 6 lbs 8 oz.  DH was in the 5 lb range.  I'm trying to keep that in the back of my mind - I'm thinking he'll just be small.

tinattt23

@karma Oh yeah, those sound like some strong genes. I like to think we're just lucky we don't have to push out giant baby heads 

Toller

@karmba I would press them for more info- did baby CHANGE percentiles at all? usually that's more significant. is there a chance that you aren't as far along as you/they think ?(sorry if you already said so and I missed it!) I get confused because some docs seem to use weeks ahead/behind and others percentiles . .. I have a DD who was born at 6lbs6oz (40 weeks exactly)- had she come any earlier she would have been very small - I would have happily kept her in longer. not to mention how off ultrasounds can be. a coworker just had her baby and she was "measuring small" she went to 41 weeks and had a perfect 7lb baby! so I would be skeptical- but that's how I am....

karmba

@Toller at my anatomy scan he measured exactly 19 weeks - which is how far along I was.  For the growth scan I was 35+6 no he was measuring 32+3/4 except his head which was 35 (I could see all the dates on the monitor). My OB is definitely looking to compare percentiles when I go back for another scan the day before thanksgiving.  She said she'll be talking about induction if he's still under the 10th percentile.  And I'm confident about my due date based on our timing.  I think he's just small, which isn't necessarily bad - who knows he could have a huge growth spurt in the next few weeks lol.

cgss11

Hope it's okay to crash here and ask a question, I'm considering med free. For you STM's, did any of you use nitrous oxide as a pain relief option? (Not sure if med free means nothing nothing or not) My hospital now offers it, and it's part of the reason I'm feeling more and more  like going into labor with an open mind, or at least not being "yes I will have totally have an epidural".

maamawaabangi

I look at "med free" as a spectrum... I start with least invasive or no intervention and apply what is needed as it is needed. 
Personally if using NO would allow me to avoid an epi I'd use it.
There is no one way to give birth. 

SmashJam

@cgss11 this is on my list to ask my midwives at my next appt-I just heard a story about its usage in labor on NPR and would also be curious if anyone has actually done it!

slartybartfast

@cgss11 - I agree with what @maamawaabangi said about the spectrum. Also, factors are weighed differently for each individual. For instance, I would go epidural before N2O or any intravenous drug. Reason being that those deliver a dose to baby (I believe with N2O it's like 80% of what mom gets). I do not consider any pain management technique that delivers the drug to my baby as well. 
There's also the fact that this is not actually pain management, but anxiety management - it doesn't reduce pain but makes you not care about it (though...in my opinion, amounts to similar results).
However, with this option and intravenous options, my worry is that the relief would be disappointing and lead to my expectation that I should be feeling more relief... leading to more meds. I had this with my epidural last time. After 18 hours of labor I got it and it was very partial at first even though it did reduce the pain by like 50%. I was like... no... I went this route for MORE RELIEF. The anesthesiologist came back in and adjusted it and it was still partial but better... But I experienced that once I opted for pain relief... I REALLY wanted that relief. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3594866/
"Although an FDA advisory issued in 2007 recommended no change in anesthetic practice for children or fetuses, the precise effects on brain development in human fetuses exposed to N2O or other anesthetic agents in utero remain largely unknown.22"

cgss11

@slartybartfast thanks for the info! I'll be doing more research.

leksiL

@cgss11 they offer NO2 at my hospital and they showed us a video about it on our hospital tour. There were also some videos of women doing that shown in my Bradley class and my doula said that she has had clients use it. She said it works for some but not everyone. I will consider it as a backup if I feel like I will give up on the all-natural.

Toller

Don't they use NO2 in Europe as much as we use epidural here in the US?!