@gingerbride26 ugh!! Feel better!! I got sick over a week ago, was on antibiotics and I'm still really sick and was worried about the same. I hope you feel better soon. Now is the time when we would like to get some last things done, and maybe even enjoy some extra rest while still possible, and that's hard to do when physically miserable. I hope your sickness passes quickly!!!
Has anyone developed a perineum hematoma following delivery? If so how long did it take before it dissolved? Never had one with DS and after delivery of DD they said I had one but it was soft. I had a lot of pressure the first few days but it's gone away and now I'm noticing pressure during BM and even with stool softeners and soft stools it's become slightly painful all of a sudden. They didn't give me any instructions on dealing with the hematoma I'm guessing because it was soft it's not a major concern and should dissolve on it's own? Never dealt with one to really know what's normal or not and didn't think to ask in the fog of just having delivered and everything else that came with my birth story.
@nimmle I want to bring my own blanket and pillow this time. I don’t remember being *that* uncomfortable with the blankets and pillows at my other deliveries, but I was in the hospital with a kidney infection about a year ago and never want to ever risk not having a pillow I enjoy because of that stay. But I’m worried about being a little too extra. Maybe I’ll bring the pillow but nix the blanket. Might bring my own towel too because I’m a big girl and I don’t like trying to dry my whole body with a towel the size of a napkin. Lol.
@nimmle I brought my own pillow last time and actually regretted it because I kept worrying about accidentally mixing it up with the hospital pillows and then when I brought it home I was grossed out thinking that it has hospital germs all over it. I regretted not bringing a boppy or other breastfeeding pillow so I am taking that this time, and also I discovered my H and I really suck at swaddling with regular blankets and we had To call the nurse over to help us every single time we needed to swaddle him. This time I made sure to pack the Velcro swaddled for dummies. I also took all my meds last time and they wouldn’t let me take my own meds, they had to bring them to me from the hospital pharmacy. So I guess this time I’ll just leave all that at home.
ETA yes I realize it makes no sense that I was grossed out by hospital germs on my bed pillow but plan to take my breastfeeding pillow this time. I guess since the boppy has a washable cover. Or I’m just weird haha
@nimmle I way overpacked clothes, but I usually do, I like options. I brought one of my favorite soft blankets and I don’t regret it one bit. I can deal with a pillow I don’t love, but having a cozy blanket is a must for me. That, and my toiletries from home we’re the only things I really needed.
Anyone have light pp bleeding? Recovery this time has been SO mild compared to DS. It’s day 3 and I’m barely bleeding, mostly pinkish lochia already. I swear I bled and clotted heavily for at least a week the first time.
@nimmle even tho I lived in the hospital gowns while there, I loved also having my robe to throw over me. I was fine with the hospital blankets and pillows too, especially since it meant less laundry for me coming home. I think I am bringing a towel but I am not sure yet. I am bringing my manual pump for quick pumping in bed if I have the time. My hospital also provides Halo sleep sacks for babies now so I am not bringing mine.
@BrittG13 I’ve taken care of mom’s admitted with it. Magnesium drip and monitoring. I always feel bad for our moms because the babies are at home. We provide pumps so they can at least do that.
@nimmle I packed very light for my hospital stay. I packed basic toiletries, clothes, and underwear for myself and DH, clothes for baby with a couple of our own blankets/swaddles and then my boppy. I ended up using everything I packed and didn't feel like I needed anything I didn't bring. We were discharged the day after I delivered so really I didn't feel like I needed anything more than I had.
Anyone take celexa for their anxiety? I just started taking it to help with soon ppa but i think it’s making me feel super tired. Tired to the point that my eyes start to close if i look down.
@nimmle I way overpacked clothes, but I usually do, I like options. I brought one of my favorite soft blankets and I don’t regret it one bit. I can deal with a pillow I don’t love, but having a cozy blanket is a must for me. That, and my toiletries from home we’re the only things I really needed.
Anyone have light pp bleeding? Recovery this time has been SO mild compared to DS. It’s day 3 and I’m barely bleeding, mostly pinkish lochia already. I swear I bled and clotted heavily for at least a week the first time.
I'm bleeding very lightly too. Occasionally I'll have a small gush but never enough to full up a pad of just blood.
Regarding the bag, @nimmle, it depends on the length of stay. In general I'm really glad I had my own pillow. I would pack 3 outfits, I just felt icky and changed a couple of times a day after delivery. Fwiw I was in the hospital for exactly 48 hours from checking in. Didn't use the music much because there was so much going on and my delivery was short. Never used my PC, DH put on one movie the night before we left for like 30 minutes.
@wildtot not celexa but I did have some tiredness with Zoloft when I was younger. I found if I took it at night it was better, and it improved over time too.
@acunamatada i had hardly any bleeding after day 2 until today. I am actually seeing stuff in my pad today but no enough to fill. Seeing more clot like drops in the toilet. With DS i do remember having more bleeding early on.
@comealongponds i was thinking of trying that because i seriously can’t function like this.
I think I remember bleeding heavily for a while after my two vaginal births. And I continued to spot for a full 6 weeks. I leaked often in the first couple of weeks so the extra long overnight pads were essential. It really felt like 9 months of backed up periods all at once.
@acunamatada same on the bleeding. I noticed mine way slower down after about day 3 when I passed a couple of clots. I remember it being the same with my son as well. My dr said you can tell if you are doing too much in a day by your bleeding and I did have one day recently where my bleeding seemed a lot heavier but I also had swept, mopped and ran some errands so I think that contributed.
@nimmle I'm still pregnant but when I had my DD the stuff I packed and never used were an adult coloring book, ipod with playlist, playing cards and similar things that I read somewhere would keep me distracted through labor LOL.
I did not pack any pillows or blankets, I used the hospitals' and felt totally fine doing so. I might bring my boppy this time. I also got a pack of low profile adult diapers to use instead of the bulky pads and I plan on bringing a few. I think they might be more comfortable and bunch and twist less than the bulky pads.
The things I brought and used and am bringing again are all the toiletries I would regularly use, makeup and comfortable clothes that I also feel good in. It's obviously not crucial but feeling clean, doing my makeup and having cute yoga pants last time were great for me. It made me feel human and energized me instead of leaving me feeling like a hospital patient.
@nimmle I brought makeup remover/moist towelettes last time and was the first thing I bought this time - was amazing for feeling fresh when I still didn't feel up to standing in the bathroom washing up. Also one-handed snacks for by the bed when the kitchen isn't open yet and DH and LO are asleep but you are starving. We also used the ipod the entire visit to binge TV while holding sleeping baby.
@kbernal2021 guess that proves i over did it my entire PP with DD - I bled like a stuck pig the entire 6 weeks.
Thank you so much for the tips ladies! So far I've definitely added a robe and then a dress vs legging/pj pant top combos depending on how I feel. I don't have any slippers but I do have some cheapo flip flops which might be good.
@gingerbride26 Good call on the makeup remover wipes and snacks! Will add that today. We brought a costco size box of granola bars for our friends who just had a baby late last week and they said "where were you with these when we were in the hospital". So clearly those are a must.
@gingerbride26 I remember being hungry in between meal times at he hospital and have been trying to figure out what snacks to bring. We pulled an all nighter to deliver that baby so DH just went home to sleep since I had the care of nurses at the hospital. I was hungry all day. When my cheeseburger was delivered at lunch, I ate it like an animal. Because of that, I feel like granola bars are not going to cut it. I thought about packing a lunch bag with whatever food I cooked for the week or buying a sandwich in early labor to bring. The rooms have a fridge. Is that crazy. Maybe I wouldn’t think of it while in labor though.
+1 to starving/bottomless pit postpartum in the hospital. I was lucky that my hospital last time had room service where the mom could order as many things as she wanted per meal, so I'd literally order like 5 entrees per meal and H and I would share them. This time I am using a different hospital and it seems like they are not as generous with the ordering. They do have a 24 hour bistro/cafe in the lobby though and the food is pretty good so I won't feel bad sending my H down in the middle of the night for snacks if needed. I will also pack protein bars, and I think there's a shared fridge we can put some snacks in, but not one in our room this time. I also plan to eat during labor (secretly behind the nurse's backs, with my midwife's blessing) so I'll have protein bars, string cheese, hardboiled eggs on hand - I guess a cooler in the room with ice would be a good idea for labor. I think my doula said she'd bring snacks for me too.
@nimmle I packed the adidas type flip flops, not the thong flip flops, so that I can wear my fuzzy socks with them and they’ll kind of be like slippers - or I can wear them in the shower if needed!
@zande2016 We always have our fridge stocked with babybel cheeses, maybe I'll leave a note on the fridge to grab on the way out the door. Might be a good idea to have a list of last minute items to throw in the bag taped on our door so that we don't forget.
I brought snacks and they were useful especially because they would not want me to eat during labor but I did lol. I made my own Gatorade with lemon honey and ginger and sipped it during labor, also had grapes, some lactation bars, and trail mix in there. Our meals at the hospital were huge in portions so I was never hungry. But we had no fridge so I brought all my stuff in a small cooler.
I was glad to have my own pillow. The hospital ones sucked and it was great to have extras for the first bf sessions.
Like @kissableviv, I used extra hospital pillows last time for nursing and never used the boppy that I took. I'm leaving it home this time. I took my own towel for taking a shower though and was VERY happy I did. I also took travel size containers of shampoo, conditioner and soap which was good because the hospital didn't have any.
@gingerbride26 I know some women just tend to bleed heavy PP. If your bleeding is light and then all of a sudden heavy that's the indicator of overdoing it. If its just heavy the entire time then idk how to tell when your doing too much lol
@nimmle and @zande2016 Last time i brought honey nut cheerios but they got sticky...this time I have rice chex and chex mix. Agreed not great in the protein department, maybe i should buy a box of Kind bars.
@kbernal2021 hmm good point, I do tend to have heavier periods so maybe i'm just lucky. I know my hips were never the same and i probably started trying to train for my half marathon too soon :-/
Any issues with getting sick during labor as a result of snacking? One of the nurses in a tour of the maternity ward tried to scare us away from snacking by sharing a story of a girl who ate a box of cheez-its on the way to the hospital and...well....saw them again several times before labor was over.
It certainly could have have been a quantity problem, but was curious if certain foods were better than others in this area!
My doula last time recommended eating protein and whole grains prior to going in for induction - foods that will last a long time in case you're not able to sneak snacks because hospitals really don't want you eating during labor. I've definitely had friends who puked while they were in labor - I felt like I was going to last time, but never did.
In general, if you want to eat prior to heading to the hospital it's probably best to think about "good workout" foods like protein and whole grains. I wouldn't force yourself to eat if you're not hungry though.
@summermama18 I had oatmeal on the morning I went into labor. I made a smoothie with lots of greens per doula recommendation and had it around 11am. Then, once we got to the hospital, I just stuck to the Gatorade I made and a few grapes, and had a bite of my lactation bars. All of this was enough for me, I started pitocin at 1pm and babe arrived at 6pm. Didn't really eat again until 9pm when my husband went and got us Pho, which to be honest was a great recovery meal. Lots of warm broth, soft noodles, veggies, and plain tofu. My body definitely loved that.
I would for sure avoid dry foods during labor like crackers and such and stick to liquids, my Gatorade had lemon honey and ginger + water in it so it basically gave me enough of a boost wothiuw upsetting my tummy.
+1 for your own towels!!! I'm a towel snob and I always use a ton. So I brought mine just make sure they are dark because you may get some yuckiness on them. I washed them right as I got home and they were fine.
My hospital had a my brest friend pillow so we did not need the boppy.
I ate honey, peanut butter, and banana while laboring at home. The Birth Center I go to discourages you to arrive too early so by the time I got there, I was in active labor and I didn’t feel like eating at all. The midwife did have me eat a honey stick before pushing so I would have an energy boost. From what I was told in a birth class and my doula, some women throw up during labor and others do not. So it seems like it depends on how your labor goes rather than what you eat.
@summermama18 I vomited numerous times during labor and probably 12 hours postpartum with DD, even though I hadn't eaten in over 12 hours from the first time it happened. I begged the nurses for some orange juice PP and even though it was only like 3 or 4 oz, I threw it up almost immediately. With DS, I was nauseated but never aactually vomited, though I did have Zofran by IV many times during my hospital stay.
With my last I was induced and wasn't allowed to eat. I was pissed at the time as 26 hours is a long time to go without food but was glad in the end. The epidural made me feel woozy. Between each push I was throwing up in a cup held by DH and can't imagine how much worse it could've been had I cheated and snuck food.
@summermama18 vomiting during transition isn't unheard of, but not sure how common exactly it is either - another one of those every woman is different things. My understanding has always been the no-eating is more about if you end up needing a c-section or emergency surgery post delivery and the dangers food + anesthesia. This is why many women have shared they plan to sneak food/snacks anyway to keep their strength up or stay home snacking as long as possible. Personally, it didn't seem worth it to me, but I've also never had a 8+ hour labor and was weak with hunger.
I experienced zero nausea or vomiting during labor/delivery but maybe it will be different without an epidural. I think its most common during transition, what my doula told me was basically your body secretes the fight or flight hormone and some people's bodies deal with the stress by getting rid of the stomach contents. Something like that. IDK, it made sense how she explained it but I might not be remembering right. I was starving and miserable during 16 hours of labor with my son and I am not forcing myself through that again so I'll have snack options if I feel like it, if not I just won;t eat them. My midwives are like, go ahead and eat, if the nurse catches you, tell her I told you its okay, then they'll come yell at us and we'll shrug our shoulders and say oh sorry. I guess this dynamic works for them haha.
I also didn't get sick during either of my deliveries, but didn't snack during them either. I did feel pretty sick at a couple of points during DD delivery but never actually vomited or needing anything to help subside it. I will say that for me once I was actually in labor after my water had broken with both, eating was the last thing on my mind. Once labor was over I was very hungry but was also able to eat right away so it wasn't a big deal. With my induction they let me eat because the attempts to get me into labor were unsuccessful for the 2 days prior to getting me into labor.
@summermama18 I threw up during transition both times, I ate in the early stages where it still hurt, but I could talk and walk and everything. My second labor I tried to get food earlier when I was still just crampy but the damn kitchen didn't deliver til like 9am, so I was already contracting. If I get induced this time I'll bring my own breakfast so I can eat early.
@summermama18 I vomited more in labour than I did my entire pregnancy. My nurse was encouraging me to eat early on (especially since they were trying to stop labour) but I got about 1/4 through a plain bagel with butter and halfway through a cup of tea before it all came back up.
@summermama18 I didn’t eat during my first labor but I still threw up the last thing I ate (fried pickles) sometime in early active labor. TMI but both ends cleared out around the same time. This time I ate a frozen pizza at like 3am in early labor when I was waiting for contractions to get stronger. That stayed put. I don’t know whether it was the timing, just luck, or what I ate but I’d imagine both were pretty poor choices for labor food on my part lol.
Re: July Questions
1. What did you wish you brought?
2. What did you bring and not use at all?
ETA yes I realize it makes no sense that I was grossed out by hospital germs on my bed pillow but plan to take my breastfeeding pillow this time. I guess since the boppy has a washable cover. Or I’m just weird haha
Anyone have light pp bleeding? Recovery this time has been SO mild compared to DS. It’s day 3 and I’m barely bleeding, mostly pinkish lochia already. I swear I bled and clotted heavily for at least a week the first time.
Regarding the bag, @nimmle, it depends on the length of stay. In general I'm really glad I had my own pillow. I would pack 3 outfits, I just felt icky and changed a couple of times a day after delivery. Fwiw I was in the hospital for exactly 48 hours from checking in.
Didn't use the music much because there was so much going on and my delivery was short. Never used my PC, DH put on one movie the night before we left for like 30 minutes.
@comealongponds i was thinking of trying that because i seriously can’t function like this.
@kbernal2021 guess that proves i over did it my entire PP with DD - I bled like a stuck pig the entire 6 weeks.
@gingerbride26 Good call on the makeup remover wipes and snacks! Will add that today. We brought a costco size box of granola bars for our friends who just had a baby late last week and they said "where were you with these when we were in the hospital". So clearly those are a must.
@canucklehead123 Oooh good call.
I was glad to have my own pillow. The hospital ones sucked and it was great to have extras for the first bf sessions.
@kbernal2021 hmm good point, I do tend to have heavier periods so maybe i'm just lucky. I know my hips were never the same and i probably started trying to train for my half marathon too soon :-/
It certainly could have have been a quantity problem, but was curious if certain foods were better than others in this area!
In general, if you want to eat prior to heading to the hospital it's probably best to think about "good workout" foods like protein and whole grains. I wouldn't force yourself to eat if you're not hungry though.
I would for sure avoid dry foods during labor like crackers and such and stick to liquids, my Gatorade had lemon honey and ginger + water in it so it basically gave me enough of a boost wothiuw upsetting my tummy.
+1 for your own towels!!! I'm a towel snob and I always use a ton. So I brought mine just make sure they are dark because you may get some yuckiness on them. I washed them right as I got home and they were fine.
My hospital had a my brest friend pillow so we did not need the boppy.