I just watched the bussiness of being born. I cried a lot during it, I don't really know what to think. Before I thought just give me drugs and I'll do it, but now I want to try for no interventions. This movie was really eye opening. Edit This was supposed to go in randoms but I'll make it a question. Have you guys thought about what you wanted to do for birth?
@galactickates I’m trying to get in with that midwife and ob team currently! if i can, then as long as I remain low risk I’ll be med free in the birthing center. Otherwise, if I can’t, I want to talk to my ob about a progression goal before intervention, specifically an epidural. If I can do med free in the regular l&d area, more power to me, but I doubt I will without that kind of birth center support so instead I’m hoping to set a “keep moving around until at least xyz” goal.
DH is mad I won’t do a super supported, supervised home labor (like with a midwife, doula and a pediatrician present), but no thanks in a small apartment. Nope. (The documentary also really affected him.)
I know this is any early but any repeat c-section mamas? VBAC isn't an option for us and DH was requested today to put in his vacation time for next June already. From what I'm reading online it's customary to schedule for 1 week ahead of due date, but anyone else have any information.
@galactickates ~ DS was a home birth ( @doxiemoxie212 our living space at the time was 300 square feet) we are planning a home birth again with this one
@doxiemoxie212 - I was thinking about how I can avoid an epidural. The hospitals that are in the same chain that I want to go to offer laughing gas, which I've done zero research on, but they don't offer it at where I wanted to go. The whole part about oxytocin being released at birth really sticks in my head. Now I'm rethinking everything
@BurlapandLace - did you do a water birth or just in your room? Did insurance cover it?
@galactickates I've researched laughing gas pretty extensively, and most say it helps basically not at all, other than it sorrrrt of helps you breathe during a contraction, but it doesn't help with pain. From what I've read, it's way more important to have the right support system and prepare yourself beforehand with some kind of serious program (hypno whatever or bradley orrrrrr I think there are a few others? IDK). After watching that Canadian midwife youtube video, though, it helped me understand that everyone has different shaped/amount of nerves around their uterus, etc., so for some women med-free really isn't that painful, and for some reason it's CRAZY painful. Also different shaped pelvises make vaginal birth easier or harder (and in some cases actually impossible).
ETA: I know almost nothing about what I'm talking about as a FTM with almost zero friends who have given birth and no family members younger than I am lol.
@galactickates My personal recommendation is to prepare very much for the kind of birth you want—I wanted my experience to be as intervention-free as possible—but not to get too attached to any kind of birth plan, because things can go haywire. I ended up getting the med-free birth I wanted, but absolutely everything else about it went bonkers, and I was glad I had that mental/emotional flexibility built in.
I really liked the classic Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, if you’re considering a “natural” birth. I found it very empowering, though I know opinions on that vary. I also found a doula very helpful.
Me: 34 Husband: 35 Married: June 2007
Son Max born 1/10/17 BFP #2: 10/5/17; EDD: 6/11/18
I need to collect my first morning urine and bring it to my next appointment. This would be easier if I didn't wake up to pee during the night. My appointment is at 9am, and ideally I'd wake up at about 7:30 with my alarm for my first pee of the day. But I've been waking up anywhere between 2 and 4am to pee lately.
I'm thinking that if I wake up at 2am, then I can still use my 7:30am pee since it'll be a 6 hour hold. But if I wake up at 4am, should I collect that pee? Or just wait until the official 7:30am alarm clock and hope there's enough pee left?
I feel weird asking this question, but the internet isn't very helpful because it only brings up results for taking a pregnancy test. Also maybe I'm obsessing. But the doctor wants my first morning urine because I had a lot of protein in my last urine test and I really want to make sure I'm giving her the best sample possible.
Me: 32 | DH: 36
Married June 2005
1/2016 - TTC#1
4/2017 - Initial RE visit, Dx: Severe MFI (Varicocele, 14% motility, 3% progression, but normal count)
7/2017 - Stage 3 endometriosis discovered during laparoscopic removal of ovarian cyst
9/27/2017 - BFP at 10dpo (cycle 22), baby boy due June 9, 2018
@galactickates ~ Um. 1/2 and half. His head was born in the water. Then his shoulder got a tad bit stuck because he decided to come out with his hand pressed against his cheek (thanks kiddo....). So they had me stand up so they could help turn him - next contraction I naturally tried to squat but his head had already come out of the water, so it couldn’t go back in, for obvious reasons. So I was helped out of the tub and I squatted for one final contraction while my midwife tuned him and he was born on my living room floor. Haha. From the time they asked me to stand up in the tub to him being born was less than two minutes. So while it sounds scary, it wasn’t.
DH’s uncle lovingly refers to DS as aqua man since he was born half in water and half on land. Haha
And as far as insurance goes, we were reimbursed 100% for his birth. (If you want to have any chance of having insurance cover it, you want a PPO, not an HMO)
@MoonOverGoldsboro - I will check that book out next, I feel like a detective following a trail of bread crumbs to my next nugget of information. Ina May was in the business of being born so I definitely want to read what she has to say.
@doxiemoxie212 - I always appreciate your thoughts and feedback, I feel like you're light years ahead of me in terms of research and it's all really helpful.
@galactickates Sorry if that was more “advicey” than you were really asking for. This is just something I spent a long time thinking about, so I felt inclined to spout off, ha.
Me: 34 Husband: 35 Married: June 2007
Son Max born 1/10/17 BFP #2: 10/5/17; EDD: 6/11/18
I ended up with kidney stones at 34 weeks with DS. It took my 10 days to pass 2 stones. FML man. That shit hurt.
My midwife asked me after after I gave birth which was worse - kidney stones or natural birth. And I can tell you with 100% certainty that kidney stones were way worse.
If you are interested in natural birth, I highly recommend you take a birth class - preferably one that is a little more than a two hour class offered by a hospital. The class I attended was 1.5 hours a week for 10 weeks and when I was done with that class, I felt MUCH more prepared. Try to find a class that teaches you multiple coping methods, not just one. You want to have lots of tools to pull from your bag in case one thing doesn’t seem to be working for you when the time comes.
I had planned to start a thread sometime soonish? for those that want to discuss natural birth/ask questions/ etc.
This topic has come up a couple of times already and I think it would be beneficial to have a dedicated thread so the info is more easily searchable/in one place for those that are interested.
I initially was thinking of starting it when most of us were in or near the second trimester, since it’s early and I know a lot of us are still trying to wrap our heads around being pregnant and nowhere near thinking about birthing yet. But I’m thinking maybe starting it earlier might not be a bad thing. Thoughts?
@MoonOverGoldsboro - I appreciated your answer, I will take ANY and ALL information that I get right now! @BurlapandLace -I'd love if that thread was started! I know it would help me!
@BurlapandLace maybe the first one early on could be less specific to a type of birth and more like, a thread about questions about how to figure out wtf you want and don't want, lol. Because I think, at least for me as a FTM, is I feel like I don't want to necessarily choose a "dream option" until I know ALL the options, and there are so many! And then the spiral of all the things that legitimately can go wrong, etc., and how best to prepare for those. So maybe just like a general like, Birth Plans: Where to Start thread? And then we can spawn from there more specific threads in 2nd tri?
@galactickates - My plans for both of my children’s births weren’t anything much, just to understand the different stages of labor and let my DH know how he could really support me. Besides medical staff, he’s the only one I wanted in the room.
Both of my children ended up being inductions due to dropping heart rate with both. My daughter’s cord was wrapped around her neck and she had just one finger between it and her neck. She was distressed because her merconium movement actually happened while she was still inside. It was a stressful time. I had an epidural with her and literally could not feel a thing, not even contractions so I had no idea when to push. I had 20 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing with her. It was insane.
With my son, his cord ended up being wrapped around his abdomen and every contraction his heart rate dropped off the monitor completely. I was so out of it, but DH told me later that I was two unsuccessful pushes away from a c-section as they had started moving all of the med personnel in to whisk me out the room. But then he was delivered. Only 5 hours start to finish with him.
For my this delivery, I’m just going to go with the same plan. DH for support and pain management and hopefully not needing to be induced this time around.
Thanks @May14th2011. I'm already super anxious because I felt my c-section midway through- don't worry ladies I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else. But it makes me wonder if a spinal will work this next time. I'd honestly love general but I know that's only a last resort in an emergency.
@katie121209 my sil just had a similar situation happen. She kept feeling the csection. They eventually just knocked her out. She also has had a few back surgeries, so I've wondered if scar tissue caused a problem with the epidural/spinal (not sure which she had).
me:35 DH:34 DS: born oct 2012 TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16 BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17 BFP #3 sept17 EDD 5/31/18 fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
Does anyone use/know of any shakes that are safe for pregnancy? I get so so bloated and nauseous if I eat both lunch and supper but I hate to skip a meal all together.
@ramblebee - I am, I started a journal when I was wedding planning to help me organize ideas and it turned into a full on daily journal. It felt good to have somewhere to vent. I also taped pictures from our wedding in there. I didn't fill the whole notebook with wedding stuff so I just continued writing afterwards. I think I might buy a new one just for pregnancy and then another one once Baby comes.
@lisa2589 ~ I drink a Boost Plus every day until my nausea goes away later in pregnancy. Did with DS too.
When DH wakes up in the morning (about 5am) he brings me one and I drink about half of it. Then when it’s time for me to get up, I drink the rest. It helps to get those calories in and my blood sugar up before I wake up to help my nausea. And it has lots of protein which I always have an issue with getting enough of early in pregnancy when food is hard to eat.
@sheswifty what the other ladies said - you are fine unless you have spotting and then I would speak to your OB. My understanding is that it’s guarenteed for 12 weeks which is why they give it at 28 weeks and then after again birth. They gave me an expiration card the last time I got one.
@ramblebee since finding out I was pregnant I started a note that I update on my phone most days with symptoms and appt. updates. It helps me so I remember what I want to ask my doc when I see them, and who knows... Might be helpful to me down the line if I have another kid to remember what I went through. I also read if you are having weird symptoms it's good to track what you ate beforehand as they might be connected.
@katie121209 I’m also a STM after c-sec. Right now I’m signed up with my midwives again, but don’t see them until 10 weeks. If I go ahead with then it means I am attempting a VBAC and whilevthat is my hope, I am having some anxiety about it. So we will see what happens in the next few weeks and my visit. Once I talk to them a bit more I might be able to make a better decision. Truth be told I just want to have the midwife care again. They were there for my c-sec. I’m afraid if I just go to the ob and go forward with a scheduled c-sec I won’t have as good of an experience as I did with my midwives there.
For anyone wanting to track things, the Ovia app is free and excellent!! I can track symptoms, feelings, weight, exercise, meds, appts, etc. It was recommended to me by someone on this board so I can't take the credit.
For anyone wanting to track things, the Ovia app is free and excellent!! I can track symptoms, feelings, weight, exercise, meds, appts, etc. It was recommended to me by someone on this board so I can't take the credit.
I use this app too! Their fertility app was very useful when we were ttc and was on the mark with my peak days even though I was irregular.
1. Why didn't anyone tell me the NIPT can tell you the gender? I got mine done today and the lab tech said "are you excited to know the sex in about 10 days?" I was like "What?" Then I googled it. I'm 10w 2d. I've never knew someone to know the gender in the first trimester. OMG 2. Anyone else weaning off the progesterone (or have before) how are you feeling? I'm dry gagging a lot today, esp right before meal times, I'm wondering its this is the pg or the progesterone.
Re: Weekly Questions w/o Nov 12
Edit This was supposed to go in randoms but I'll make it a question. Have you guys thought about what you wanted to do for birth?
DH is mad I won’t do a super supported, supervised home labor (like with a midwife, doula and a pediatrician present), but no thanks in a small apartment. Nope. (The documentary also really affected him.)
@BurlapandLace - did you do a water birth or just in your room? Did insurance cover it?
ETA: I know almost nothing about what I'm talking about as a FTM with almost zero friends who have given birth and no family members younger than I am lol.
I really liked the classic Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, if you’re considering a “natural” birth. I found it very empowering, though I know opinions on that vary. I also found a doula very helpful.
Husband: 35
Married: June 2007
Son Max born 1/10/17
BFP #2: 10/5/17; EDD: 6/11/18
I need to collect my first morning urine and bring it to my next appointment. This would be easier if I didn't wake up to pee during the night. My appointment is at 9am, and ideally I'd wake up at about 7:30 with my alarm for my first pee of the day. But I've been waking up anywhere between 2 and 4am to pee lately.
I'm thinking that if I wake up at 2am, then I can still use my 7:30am pee since it'll be a 6 hour hold. But if I wake up at 4am, should I collect that pee? Or just wait until the official 7:30am alarm clock and hope there's enough pee left?
I feel weird asking this question, but the internet isn't very helpful because it only brings up results for taking a pregnancy test. Also maybe I'm obsessing. But the doctor wants my first morning urine because I had a lot of protein in my last urine test and I really want to make sure I'm giving her the best sample possible.
Me: 32 | DH: 36
Married June 2005
1/2016 - TTC#1
4/2017 - Initial RE visit, Dx: Severe MFI (Varicocele, 14% motility, 3% progression, but normal count)
7/2017 - Stage 3 endometriosis discovered during laparoscopic removal of ovarian cyst
9/27/2017 - BFP at 10dpo (cycle 22), baby boy due June 9, 2018
DH’s uncle lovingly refers to DS as aqua man since he was born half in water and half on land. Haha
And as far as insurance goes, we were reimbursed 100% for his birth. (If you want to have any chance of having insurance cover it, you want a PPO, not an HMO)
@doxiemoxie212 - I always appreciate your thoughts and feedback, I feel like you're light years ahead of me in terms of research and it's all really helpful.
Husband: 35
Married: June 2007
Son Max born 1/10/17
BFP #2: 10/5/17; EDD: 6/11/18
I ended up with kidney stones at 34 weeks with DS. It took my 10 days to pass 2 stones. FML man. That shit hurt.
My midwife asked me after after I gave birth which was worse - kidney stones or natural birth. And I can tell you with 100% certainty that kidney stones were way worse.
If you are interested in natural birth, I highly recommend you take a birth class - preferably one that is a little more than a two hour class offered by a hospital. The class I attended was 1.5 hours a week for 10 weeks and when I was done with that class, I felt MUCH more prepared. Try to find a class that teaches you multiple coping methods, not just one. You want to have lots of tools to pull from your bag in case one thing doesn’t seem to be working for you when the time comes.
This topic has come up a couple of times already and I think it would be beneficial to have a dedicated thread so the info is more easily searchable/in one place for those that are interested.
I initially was thinking of starting it when most of us were in or near the second trimester, since it’s early and I know a lot of us are still trying to wrap our heads around being pregnant and nowhere near thinking about birthing yet. But I’m thinking maybe starting it earlier might not be a bad thing. Thoughts?
Me: 32 | DH: 36
Married June 2005
1/2016 - TTC#1
4/2017 - Initial RE visit, Dx: Severe MFI (Varicocele, 14% motility, 3% progression, but normal count)
7/2017 - Stage 3 endometriosis discovered during laparoscopic removal of ovarian cyst
9/27/2017 - BFP at 10dpo (cycle 22), baby boy due June 9, 2018
@BurlapandLace -I'd love if that thread was started! I know it would help me!
Married March 2016
DD: born 7.22.16
DS EDD: 6.23.18
Both of my children ended up being inductions due to dropping heart rate with both. My daughter’s cord was wrapped around her neck and she had just one finger between it and her neck. She was distressed because her merconium movement actually happened while she was still inside. It was a stressful time. I had an epidural with her and literally could not feel a thing, not even contractions so I had no idea when to push. I had 20 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing with her. It was insane.
With my son, his cord ended up being wrapped around his abdomen and every contraction his heart rate dropped off the monitor completely. I was so out of it, but DH told me later that I was two unsuccessful pushes away from a c-section as they had started moving all of the med personnel in to whisk me out the room. But then he was delivered. Only 5 hours start to finish with him.
For my this delivery, I’m just going to go with the same plan. DH for support and pain management and hopefully not needing to be induced this time around.
DH:34 - Me: 33
Emmaline Winifred - 1.25.2013
Wesley Daniel - 7.24.2014
#3 EDD - 6.24.2018
DH:34 - Me: 33
Emmaline Winifred - 1.25.2013
Wesley Daniel - 7.24.2014
#3 EDD - 6.24.2018
DS: born oct 2012
TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
BFP #3 sept17 EDD 5/31/18
fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
When DH wakes up in the morning (about 5am) he brings me one and I drink about half of it. Then when it’s time for me to get up, I drink the rest. It helps to get those calories in and my blood sugar up before I wake up to help my nausea. And it has lots of protein which I always have an issue with getting enough of early in pregnancy when food is hard to eat.
DD - January 2016
2. Anyone else weaning off the progesterone (or have before) how are you feeling? I'm dry gagging a lot today, esp right before meal times, I'm wondering its this is the pg or the progesterone.
TTC: 08/2017 EDD: 6/11/2018 FTM