FTM Check In - 9/18

curiousfool1

1) How far along are you?
2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go?
3) Cravings/symptoms?
4) Rants/raves/concerns?
5) Anything else you want to add/ask?
6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?

curiousfool1

1) How far along are you?  33+2 weeks

2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go?   I will have another appointment this coming Friday.  I always get to the appointments thinking I should have some questions ... but I don't. 

3) Cravings/symptoms?  Starting to feel more food preference swings.  Usually, it's that I really would love a certain flavor profile or cuisine (Thai or Mexican or spicy or tomato based ...).  Heartburn is a daily, awful occurrence these days.  With the colder weather, the vasospasms are also getting worse and more frequent.  On that note, I finally replenished my rice supplies so I am going to sew up little rice sachet's tonight that I can microwave and stuff in my bra to warm myself back up easier at work.

4) Rants/raves/concerns?  I slipped and fell down the stairs last week.  I'm mostly fine, and the baby is totally fine.  I unfortunately really wrenched my shoulder out of joint trying to stop my fall.  I'm discovering the really annoying part of moving to a new state.  It took a long time to arrange for a new PCP, and even longer to get a first appointment.  In fact, our first appointment is not until after Thanksgiving.  I called to try and make an urgent visit to deal with my shoulder but they won't see me until after the initial new-patient evaluation!   The OB/GYN won't see me about it either.  It's not acute enough to take up time and space at the ER.  So it's off to the non-ER local urgent care clinic for me.  So frustrating! 
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5) Anything else you want to add/ask?

6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?  I've been having this fight with my mother for a while.  All our immediate family live out of state and when they come it will be to stay with us for several days.  We are asking for at least 48 hours home from the hospital before visitors - immediate family only - come to visit.  We want to make sure the introduction of the baby to our dog goes smoothly before adding stay-over visitors to the mix.  The immediate family only rule is also the source of major tension right now, as my mom wants her new boyfriend to be allowed to come and stay with her.  We are standing firm on the TDAP vaccination.  All the parents have been asked to ensure their vaccinations are up to date before coming over.  My baby-sister is allergic to the Pertusis vaccination.  For anyone of you who is standing firm with vaccination requests, do you have any family members that do not have any one vaccination (because of an actual health complication, not a moral/ethical/religious preference)? What are you doing about visitation for that person?

kdl89

1) How far along are you?

32 weeks today!

2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go?

I have a check up on Wednesday and a growth and fluid check ultra sound on Friday! I can’t wait to see this little girl again!!

3) Cravings/symptoms?

So many Gummy worms have been eaten that I told DH to hide them from me.

4) Rants/raves/concerns?

Rave: Got the curtains up in the baby’s room. I can’t wait for my baby shower this weekend so we can get the crib set up (its gift from my MIL) and know what we need to buy to finish getting ready for baby girl.  Also finished cleaning out the boxes in the spare room and got the spare room set up.

5) Anything else you want to add/ask?

Nope

6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?

We are allowing anyone to stop in for a visit we just ask that people stay away if they are not feeling well. DH has a many family members that live near us so I don’t think it’s possible to make sure they are all up to date with vaccinations however those that will be around the baby a lot have agreed to get there vaccinations so they are up to date. We also ask for no over night guest for the first little bit. 

YesOuiCan

1) How far along are you? 30+4
2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go? My appointment last week was great. However, the midwife recommended that I hire a doula, so now researching and thinking about that has taken over my last few days. I didn't think I wanted a doula even though we are planning a natural birth, but now I'm considering it. 
3) Cravings/symptoms? Nothing out of the ordinary.
4) Rants/raves/concerns? I am loving the third trimester. I feel like everything is coming together and I'm so excited that the baby will be here soon. The nursery is pretty much done, just need to put a few more pieces of art on the walls and a couple other minor things, so I love walking by it and/or just sitting down in the glider and imagining life with the little one.
5) Anything else you want to add/ask?
6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations? Our parents are welcome any time -- I think my mother is planning to come up as soon as she hears I'm in labor to help out around the house (and of course meet the baby). Our parents are really the only people who would be in close/extended contact with the baby, so they're the only people we've talked to about vaccines, and they are all up-to-date. Our friends who would drop by to visit have all had babies in the past couple years, so they're all TDAP'd up.

@curiousfool1 That's really frustrating that your mom wants to bring her new boyfriend. I get where she's coming from and that she wants to share her special time with her guy, but ultimately this is YOUR immediate family's time and you need to be only with people you love and feel 100% comfortable with. I would absolutely not want a near-stranger around during such an emotional, personal, and intense time. And re: vaccinations, I'd ask your OBGYN as well as the baby's pediatrician for their opinions. My first reaction was that anyone unvaccinated should be treated the same since they present the same risk to your baby, and the intent behind keeping away anti-vaxxers is not to punish them, it's to protect the baby. But in terms of population health, one of the big ideas behind vaccines for *everyone* is to protect those who cannot get vaccines for real reasons or are otherwise at greater risk, including infants, the elderly, and your sister! So, I don't have an answer, but I think your question is interesting and I'm curious what doctors would think.

kaitlinliz

1) How far along are you?
31 weeks!
2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go?
Nope 
3) Cravings/symptoms?
Just the same as the last few weeks. Back, rib and leg pain. My hands are semi swelling so they're hurting. No cravings tho.
4) Rants/raves/concerns?
Rave: I ate pizza for the first time since the very beginning of my pregnancy! Tomatoes are a no go so the sauce has been making me sick. Today I successfully ate 2 huge pieces!
Rant: not really a rant but LMAO! We have different tables at work and one is a picnic table. I got stuck sitting at it. I literally couldn't get up and had to have a coworker help me. Told my boss that I'm not able to sit there anymore and I need a different seat. Let's just say he laughed at me for a few minutes. 
Rant #2: it's mine and DHs Anniversary tomorrow and we don't get to see each other. I've mentioned multiple times he works crazy hours. I'm hoping we can at least do lunch on Sun before he goes to work but idk. 3 years and last year was the only anniversary we spent together. Our first one he was deployed. Last year we went to Hawaii cuz we never had a honeymoon. I keep seeing posts from then and just wish we were back there. It was so amazing. 
5) Anything else you want to add/ask?
6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?
family and very close friends. People will probably come by to the hospital, I know my brother and his gf really want to come and it's a 3 hour drive for them. And obviously the grandparents wanna come (2 hours for both sides). IDK if anyone not family will come as my BFF will have a 6 month old and my other one doesn't drive on highways. But when we get home we aren't doing visitors right away since we have a very short amount of time to be a family. DH is scheduled to leave 2 weeks after baby is due for 6 weeks. So we will spend that time as a family. After that my mom, his mom and others will be taking turns coming up and helping/staying. A coworker said she will come by the day he leaves which is the sweetest! 

fishakris

1) How far along are you?
32 weeks 1 day
2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go? 
Appt on Friday! 
3) Cravings/symptoms?
I can't get enough lemonade. 
4) Rants/raves/concerns?
Starting to have shortness of breath and struggling to get a nice deep breath
5) Anything else you want to add/ask?
Holding my peace.  

hillaryo14

1) How far along are you?
32w
2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go?
Not this week
3) Cravings/symptoms?
Back pain, that's about all.
4) Rants/raves/concerns?
Rant: Had a bad week at work, complete with meltdowns from 2 of my students. Glad it's over!
5) Anything else you want to add/ask?
6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?
Not really sure yet. Our parents will be welcome any time. As far as others, it will probably be a while due to the fact that it will be cold and flu season. 

dragonfly87-2

1) How far along are you? 31w2d

2) Any appointments this week or last week? How did it go? I have one coming up this Thursday. Had a 30 week ultrasound 1.5 weeks ago and all went well. Very relieved that the choroid plexus cyst is gone now.

3) Cravings/symptoms? No cravings. But in the past 3-4 days, I have noticed it is getting much more difficult to move, more uncomfortable to sit and my right wrist is aching in pain throughout the day. 

4) Rants/raves/concerns? I just got back from an out of state work trip last night. Plane got delayed by 2 hours and I got home at 1:30am. I slept for 8 hours, but still feel like crap and have absolutely no energy. But my rave to counter it is that DH has been taking care of me and very attentive. It's a sweet side that I do not see a lot and I am loving it.

5) Anything else you want to add/ask? Nope.

6) GTKY:  How soon after the baby is born are you allowing visitors at your home? Are you limiting visitors to immediate family, or otherwise holding visitors to up-to-date vaccinations?
We are asking people to not visit for the first week, with the exception of his mother. She can visit at the hospital the day after our daughter is born and probably 1-2 days during the first week. My family will fly in 1 week after our daughter is born and stay for 2 weeks. We are asking all of them to get up to date vaccinations.

dragonfly87-2

@curiousfool1 be sure you get the Tdap vaccine, which will give baby a little immunity before they can get Dtap at 2 months. I think it is good to be cautious but not go over board. If someone can't get a 
vaccine and can show or you trust they don't have an illness, I wouldn't worry too much. Don't over expose your child, but immediate family should be fine. 

fishakris

Question,  my doc advised for my DH and I along with immediate family (who will be in contact)  to get the Tdap and flu shot.  I am opposed to the flu shot,  but was told it'll help the baby in those first few months.  Anyone doing the same? Thoughts? 

hillaryo14

@fishakris I am on the fence about the flu shot. I've never gotten one, and have never had the flu. I have no problem with the Tdap though. I have an appointment tomorrow, so I will ask my doctor about it. DH will probably get both.

dragonfly87-2

For flu shot...I don't see the harm in getting it. I know there are a ton of strains, but if there are no adverse reactions....I honestly don't understand opposition to a free vaccine. But to each their own. DH doesn't get it, but I just got it today. 

curiousfool1

I definitely got both the TDAP and the flu shots. I talked to my midwife again this week. She indicated it is the CDC recommendation that the parents and any immediate family that will be in close, more prolonged (longer than an hour or two) contact get the vaccination if they can, and everyone else either stay away if there is sickness going around their daily environment or wash hands constantly. 

fishakris

@hillaryo14 @curiousfool1 @dragonfly87-2
Thank you for your feedback and thoughts.

NYTino24

The flu shot is important to get since it will help both you and the baby.  Exposure to the flu can kill an infant since they don't have immune systems and they can get some antibodies via the placenta if you get it. It's especially important considering when our babies are due. Think about how weak their lungs are and how they can't cough.

YesOuiCan

^Yes, what @NYTino24 said. The flu is deadly to infants. Babies die from the flu every year. Even if you would never get a flu shot any other time, this is THE time to get it.

mymulligan

I have never had the flu and never gotten the shot. I will be getting it at my appt next week. It's too risky not to given the time of the year and our babies developing immune systems. 

sml1982

I already got my TDAP shot at my 28 week appt.. in addition my parents and husband got theirs as well. As for the flu shot Im not getting one....The only time Ive ever had the flu in my life is the year I got the flu shot. I got sick about 4 days after getting the shot.

NYTino24

sml1982 said:

I already got my TDAP shot at my 28 week appt.. in addition my parents and husband got theirs as well. As for the flu shot Im not getting one....The only time Ive ever had the flu in my life is the year I got the flu shot. I got sick about 4 days after getting the shot.

Educate yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/misconceptions.htm

kaitlinliz

So my parents got both the TDAP and flu shot. I am not sure if my in-laws got theirs but my SIL had kids 1.5 years ago so I assume they did. I will be asking. I will be getting mine at my 32 week appt - apparently I was supposed to get them at my 28 week and they never gave them to me, when I mentioned this to the nurse I spoke to yesterday she was kinda mad at them. But I told DH he had to get them done. He said he has to get flu for work but didn't understand why he needed TDAP when I told him, he said we'll see....um NO we won't see. You will be getting it! If I have to drag his butt to a clinic he will be getting it!

mymulligan

@kaitlinliz sorry, that's frustrating about your DH. Does he realize that whooping cough will usually hospitalize babies, and can even be deadly?! Maybe show him some info about it?!

https://www.cdc.gov/features/pertussis/index.html 

tdap is good for 10 years but pregnant mamas will need to get it with each pregnancy to help baby with immunity.

kaitlinliz

Oh he understands. He told me he's up to date on his tetanus..but unless I'm misinformed, you can get tetanus without it being in the tdap shot. So he may be covered for tetanus but not the others. Honestly I'd rather him just get it to be 100% positive he is up to date cuz he hasn't gotten it in the 5.5 years we've been together. 

mymulligan

@kaitlinliz I think you're right about the tetanus shot. He just needs to suck it up and go get the shot! This will not be the last time he has to do something he doesn't want to do for the sake of his child good training!