Weekly Questions 1/22

livinthesunnylife

cthulu

Favorite nausea aides? I have a pregnancy tea somewhere to help with nausea, but I feel too sick to go look for it. I was never this nauseous with any of my other pregnancies. Ginger ale isn’t helping, food isn’t helping (its making me more nauseous). Anyone have any good hacks to help get rid of the quesies? 

melbel0824

My step sister swore by papaya pils, but I haven't tried them. I just got a prescription today for dicegis. I was sucking on preggie pops a lot and I do think those work but just temporarily. 

alinafed

cthulu said:

Favorite nausea aides? I have a pregnancy tea somewhere to help with nausea, but I feel too sick to go look for it. I was never this nauseous with any of my other pregnancies. Ginger ale isn’t helping, food isn’t helping (its making me more nauseous). Anyone have any good hacks to help get rid of the quesies? 

Vitamin B6! It's OTC and one of the main ingredients used in Diclectin (Canadian version of Diclegis), but they are now finding it can be as effective on it's own without the prescription ingredient. It has really helped me this pregnancy.

ladygali

@cthulu sucking on jolly ranchers helped me. My friend got me some essential oils to smell and they worked ok. I finally got some diclegis and it has helped the most, although I don’t love taking another pill. 

derbysquirrel

Diclegis wasn't very helpful for me, so I got Metoclopramide this week. It seems to be working a lot better for me.

neeraja_k

I have an Rx for Zofran, but haven't needed it. *ducks!*

For the occasional bout of nausea sour candy has helped me the most, oddly enough.

Ever since I got sick with the c.diff a few years ago I used to get fairly nauseated traveling so I've always carried candied ginger or ginger chews with me. But ever since getting pregnant it doesn't work like usual. So, sour candy it is. The Preggie Pops are delicious, Jolly Ranchers, Sweet Tarts, sour gummy worms, etc all work well. 

dirtanddiamonds

Dramamine. But it can make you sleepy. Take half a one. It is the bomb. 

legallykate

Sour candy has been really helping me, more than ginger or anything else. I think carbonation has been making me feel worse. And I discovered that really really cold water bothers me less than room temperature for some reason. 

cthulu

I ate a nice big bowl of plain pasta and it seemed to help so apparently I needed bland carbs. I’m highly contemplating going to bed now though (it’s 6:17 lol). Thanks for all the advice! I’m going to try to pick up some b6 this week! 

aj1327

legallykate said:

Sour candy has been really helping me, more than ginger or anything else. I think carbonation has been making me feel worse. And I discovered that really really cold water bothers me less than room temperature for some reason. 

Yes! I have to drink water ice cold and was the same way when pregnant with DS

baby&thesea

Is anyone doing both the NIPT (panorama) and the NT scan? I’m confused about what crosses over and whether I need to do both.

legallykate

baby&thesea said:

Is anyone doing both the NIPT (panorama) and the NT scan? I’m confused about what crosses over and whether I need to do both.

I am doing the NIPT through Counsyl and also the NT scan, my OB recommends both. The NIPT is also generally done earlier than the NT (9-11 weeks versus 11-14 weeks I think).

delujm0

baby&thesea said:

Is anyone doing both the NIPT (panorama) and the NT scan? I’m confused about what crosses over and whether I need to do both.

I'm doing both.  My OB wants to just do them both at the same time, so they'll just draw a SHIT TON of blood at my 12w appointment.  The NT scan looks for markers for genetic issues, but also looks for physical issues that may be present in advance of the Anatomy Scan, so my office suggests that both are done.  Also, the 16w blood draw that is done as a part of the Quad Screen (which is connected to the NT Scan) tests for neural tube issues, which are not covered in the NIPT.  The NIPT is higher accuracy for trisomy disorders than the NT scan, but it doesn't cover all of the same stuff.  Insurance will typically only cover NIPT if you are high risk for some reason or if you have had an elevated risk profile from your NT scan, but you can elect to pay for it out of pocket.  The NT scan is generally covered by insurance regardless of risk profile.

hezzer78

This is probably a TMI post as well, but figured it belonged here...

So I'm on progesterone suppositories, and sometimes in the morning I'll have this white creamy discharge. This is pretty normal and is just the excess leaking out. Lately it's been greenish-yellow though - no itching or anything.  Definitely have to wear panty liners. 

So I called the doc and the nurse called back and left me a message. She said it's normal and just make sure I'm doing "that finger sweep" every few days.  No one told me to do this....? She acted like I should know what this meant. Is it what it sounds like? Or is there a technique? Anyone who had progesterone suppositories know...? 

hezzer78

baby&thesea said:

Is anyone doing both the NIPT (panorama) and the NT scan? I’m confused about what crosses over and whether I need to do both.

I'm doing both. NIPT is not fully covered by my insurance, but we are footing the bill. I'm AMA so to us, it's important we do it.  We will also do the NT scan at about 12 weeks. I always thought (maybe incorrectly) that NIPT was an optional thing and the NT scan happens regardless. I know the NT scan can catch some things earlier than the anatomy scan at 20 weeks.

Whether we do anything else (CVS or amnio) will depend on what the NIPT says. 

princesslockness

@hezzer78 I was told it’s exactly what it sounds like, and to think of trying to find a ‘hidden’ tampon string.

hfooter

Is anyone else experiencing the chemical metal mouth taste? It’s funnnnnnn.....

juliebird6

@hfooter I am. It sucks.  I brush my teeth multiple times a day but nothing really helps.  I had it with DD too.  

mrsbubbles-2

@hfooter Yes! Ugh, I chew peppermint gum like it's my job.

marshmallowfarts

@hezzer78 it’s an unpleasant experience. I recommend doing it in the shower, sitting down and essentially doing what she said. You’ll remove all the excess stuff which will accumulate over time and actually make it difficult for the new suppository to absorb. I do it every other day - sometimes every three days. Not sure what kind you’re using but I’m on crinone and you’re supposed to insert it before you get moving for the day to help it absorb. So with that said I’d shower and “clean” and then do my insert after the shower. 

Hope thar helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. It sucks but hopefully you only have to do this a few more weeks!

legallykate

I know it is early to be thinking about this, but how do you find/pick a pediatrician? We currently live downtown but are planning to move to the 'burbs in probably 2020 or 2021 at the latest, would it make sense to just go ahead and find a pediatrician out there (like 15-20 minutes from our current location) or would we want to have one closer for now and then switch later?

aj1327

^^^ I went with a recommendation from a friend. I feel like you kind of go a lot the first year but after that, not so much, so it just depends on how much you hate driving. I wouldn’t think it would be bad to be 15/20 minutes away. 

hardlyhannah

@legallykate that’s totally your personal preference. For me? I would go with what’s close now, though it can be tough to get into the good practices when you have an older kid vs a newborn. 

He practice were with wasnt accepting older kids, only newborns. I asked around for recommendations on mom groups and from Family, and where we go is where I actually went as a kid too so I enjoy the connection. Make sure to interview your doctor to make sure they’re on board with your parenting plans too

juliebird6

@legallykate We live in the burbs and actually drive 15/20 minutes into the city to go to a certain pediatrician.  Find one that is highly recommended by people you know; it's definitely worth the drive, especially the first year as a new mom.

mrsbubbles-2

@legallykate ditto everyone that said to ask for recommendations from friends / family. We love our pediatrician so much that we stayed with the practice even after moving 30 min away. If you're planning on breastfeeding many pediatrician offices will have a lactation consultant on staff so if that's something you're interested in it's a good question to ask when you're calling around.

hfooter

@mrsbubbles-2 and @juliebird6 it’s the worst! I did not have this with my last two pregnancies. So nausea and then this! So fun. Ughhh I HATE first tri!

laufisch

@legallykate I asked my OB for recommendations since they meet some at the hospital. I would say go with someone you trust/like and don't worry as much about the drive.

hfooter

@legallykate I now have to drive 20 mins away to our pediatrician because of our move. But he’s great and I can’t imagine going anywhere else. I’d find a person who’s a good fit for you as far as provider capabilities, personality and how well you get along in regards to parenting choices. And then factor in commute.

juliebird6

@legallykate I also STRONGLY recommend meeting/interviewing the pediatrician beforehand, even if they tell you it's not necessary.

westphilly

We didn't interview any pediatricians in advance. Like a lot of baby things, I didn't really know what I wanted until I had that squishy in my hands and had all the FTM panic questions. So, I went with someone close to home and recommended by people in our neighborhood. We have a neighborhood parents list-serve that regularly has a new thread on peds, so we used that to start from. We also really like having someone close to home because transporting a sick kiddo is the worst. But, for us, it would mean public transportation if they weren't in our neighborhood, so maybe that's different than transporting a sick kiddo in the car?

calimom2524

The two areas I've lived with kids have had large medical groups with different doctors in each department. I also didn't do any interviewing or anything in advance. When DS1 was born he was jaundice so we had to go to an appointment each day until his levels were normal. It was kind of a good way to see who we liked in the practice and who we didn't. It was a real easy decision when we told the doctor we had taken his temp the night before and it was 100.3 so we called the after hours line and they told us to monitor him and if it got higher to bring him in then heard him talking shit about us in the lobby area to his colleagues. "These parents have a BRAND NEW baby and didn't think to bring him to the ER with a fever of 103?!" When he came back in the room my H at the time flew off the handle for how bad he made me feel when he didn't even listen to what I said. There's a pretty big difference between 100.3 and 103 in a newborn, I may have been a new mom but I wasn't THAT stupid. I made a note in DS' file that we would never see that doctor again. 

juliebird6

I should add that I also went the way of @westphilly at first, and immediately regretted my decision to follow the recommendations from our local group.  I had a HORRIBLE experience at the pediatrician's office in our small town, despite the rave reviews it had received in the online group.  I would have been able to determine it wasn't the right fit for us if I had simply gone there first and "interviewed" them - the huge negatives would have been glaringly apparent and I could have chosen our (now) pediatrician from the beginning. 

Also, I'm not sure if it's the same in all areas, but in my area, most of the good pediatricians will only accept newborn patients at the hospital.  So, if you don't choose them from the beginning, it's damn near impossible to become a new patient after baby is born.  If that's the case in your area, interview them in advance!!!

neeraja_k

I live in a small town. We have one pediatrician in town, I actually went to him as a kid, and I hated him. Come to find out the reason I hated him is why he's not very popular still to this day with my classmates' kids. Really makes you wonder how he's still practicing...

So unless my GP can see my newborn for all of its needs, I'll probably be going with the nurse practitioner who lives on my road who has her own clinic in town. She has glowing reviews from everyone I've talked to, and she does see babies and kids for vaccinations and such. Otherwise it's an hour long interstate trip and that's just stupid. I already hate going down there for my OB appointment, hospital, and everything else. 

kburg15

I didn’t interview our pediatrician but I knew I liked him after the first visit. The trouble I had was that infants go so frequently at first and our office was down a practitioner, that we ended up scheduled with a temporary pediatrician who was filling in. She had nearly the opposite style of “doctoring” than ours did (despite being in the same practice), knew absolutely nothing about breastfeeding, had never heard of baby led weaning, and overall made us feel like failures as parents for DS being on the bottom of the growth curve. Our normal ped said “It’s a curve—someone has to be on the bottom”. I made a note with the front desk to never see the temp one again (esp after hearing how much she pushed formula on other moms in my local nursing group). Just something to think about is how easy it’ll be to get in and see your specific ped. 

neeraja_k

I do have questions for the day, are there any vaccinations that expecting parents (and close family) should get prior to birth?

I had to get an MMR vaccine prior to getting married, they wouldn't issue the license without it, but that was in 2003. Most recent was my tetanus in 2010 and my flu shot this year. Not sure if they recommend such vaccinations for pregnant women though.

But goodness knows when and what my husband has had. I was hoping maybe we could start on that soon, help work off that deductible some, and do some good for ourselves at the same time. 

livinthesunnylife

We go to a big pediatric practice and they have "welcome sessions" once a month for new parents to come and meet the Peds.  I liked our Ped immediately and I've been really happy with all the other people we've seen over the last year too.  Because when the daycare calls at 3:30 and your kid has pinkeye getting in to see "who" doesn't matter, you just want IN. 

Also, weekend availability.  Cause you will have questions and need to call.  Who answers, what's the response time.  Do they have Saturday sick appts?  Saturday sick is a lifesaver.

kburg15

neeraja_k said:

I do have questions for the day, are there any vaccinations that expecting parents (and close family) should get prior to birth?

I had to get an MMR vaccine prior to getting married, they wouldn't issue the license without it, but that was in 2003. Most recent was my tetanus in 2010 and my flu shot this year. Not sure if they recommend such vaccinations for pregnant women though.

But goodness knows when and what my husband has had. I was hoping maybe we could start on that soon, help work off that deductible some, and do some good for ourselves at the same time. 

My midwife recommended we and everyone around baby get the TDAP shot for whooping cough. 

melprop

We have a family doctor who sees everyone from newborns to the elderly. I checked with them to see if we could bring DS there before he was born. That doctor was actually on call in the hospital the day after DS was born and did his circumcision, so it worked out well. We have to drive about 30 mins to his practice, but we like him so I don’t mind. 

With our insurance now, we have to go to the local health dept office to get DS his vaccinations. It’ll be the same with the new baby, so I’m not sure how I’ll handle that. Right now DS just sees our family doctor when he’s sick or when he needs a physical. 

livinthesunnylife

kburg15 said:

neeraja_k said:

I do have questions for the day, are there any vaccinations that expecting parents (and close family) should get prior to birth?

I had to get an MMR vaccine prior to getting married, they wouldn't issue the license without it, but that was in 2003. Most recent was my tetanus in 2010 and my flu shot this year. Not sure if they recommend such vaccinations for pregnant women though.

But goodness knows when and what my husband has had. I was hoping maybe we could start on that soon, help work off that deductible some, and do some good for ourselves at the same time. 

My midwife recommended we and everyone around baby get the TDAP shot for whooping cough. 

Yes, absolutely.  If you want to watch something heartbreaking look up videos of newborns with whooping cough, it's horrible.  I made both Grandparents and anyone else that was going to be around DS get it.  It's cheap & easy at Walgreens or CVS.

mrsbubbles-2

@neeraja_k - ditto @kburg15 about the whooping cough vaccine. I think I got it around week 30-ish?

ETA: cough! Not couch. sigh.