Ask Me Anything thread!

emmaaa

@saltedcaramel518 I just died laughing at that story! Lol

DH was also freaking out like "NO YOU DON'T HAVE TIME!!! WE HAVE TO GO!"

I told him to get the bags in the truck, take the dogs out, get a pillow, etc, thinking it'd take him a while and give me time. Nope, he was sitting on the bed staring in the bathroom waiting on me to get out after like 15 minutes. Lol

kmos816

@galactickates my water also broke early on and came in short bursts but not enough to require a pad or towel, it was more like peeing a little and didn’t need to clean up after. I had 3-4 bursts and then it stopped and I think the rest came out while I was pushing.

you WILL need a towel when you come home from the hospital//wherever you deliver. I swear out major fluids for 2-3 nights after coming home!

rooonilwaazlib

@CoastieGirl79 If you're flying on an airline that has assigned seats (unlike Southwest), do what I did and go up to the lady at the help area and ask for an upgraded seat for a tired, pregnant lady.  I got upgraded on Delta from a regular seat to one with more foot room.  It was lovely!  Less awkward when you have to get up every half hour to pee...and you shouldn't sit for too long anyway, especially if it's a longer flight.  Drink water, not anything carbonated, as it'll increase chances for gas.  My nausea gets triggered by hunger and by motion so eat something substantial beforehand if that applies to you too.

The scan machines are totally fine so don't worry about that unless it's your personal choice to avoid them.  I always wonder what they can see when they scan the belly! I hope it's baby waving hello!

@galactickates I'm so glad you asked this and also hate the answer that you won't care when it's time.  I care now! I want to reply to that oh thanks for invalidating my questions/feelings, ya jerk!

Edited: tagging

galactickates

I know @rooonilwaazlib!! I fully understand I am not going to care, or modesty goes out the window <-- very common dismissive answers that don't actually answer my question.  I just want to know,  good or bad,  I want to know.  

skilouise

I hate the dismissive "you won't care" answers too. Just because one particular STM didn't end up caring, doesn't mean I won't.  And if it ends up being something that I shouldn't care about, given my individual circumstances, I'm a lot more likely to be able to wrap my head around why I shouldn't care if I have all the info ahead of time. 

kns1988

My baby was born exactly 10 minutes after my water broke. I was luckily already admitted to the hospital because they were monitoring his heartbeat, but I had no idea he was about to be born. As soon as my water broke, my pain went from non-existent to a 10. I think I'm one of those women that doesn't really feel contractions strongly, so I'll be going to the hospital at the first sign of anything this time! That was a tangent... about the question actually asked, just put a waterproof cover on your bed to be safe. 

sfgiantsgamerbabe

I have no idea when my water broke! When the doctor tried to break my water nothing came out. I never felt a pop, trickle, or gush. I had bloody show but that was it. It either got mixed in with the bloody show or it happened when I was taking an epsom salt bath. 

molosmiles

With DD1 I had a slight leak happening and when I got to the hospital, there was amniotic fluid detectable but the doctor still had to rupture the sac. With my second, my water broke at the hospital and it made an audible pooping sound which we heard on the monitors too. It was a lot of fluid. I would not have been happy for that to have happened on my bed! I hadn't really thought of what I will do to prepare this time, so this was a great question.

nononorman

I was induced but water broke on it’s own during that induction and it was A LOT. I had a waterproof pad on my bed at home and they say to keep puppy pee pads handy or put a trash bag on your car seat just in case. I packed my hospital bag and kept it in the car starting a week or two early. There were some trash bags in there. Like @kns1988 when my water broke it went from “this feels like a period cramp” to holy hell I may be dying. I did have quite a bit of pitocin which some say makes contractions more painful but I have nothing to compare it to. I got the epi a couple hours later but my daughter wasn’t born until ~17 hours after my water broke. 

From talking to ladies in my other BMB, it seems like postpartum bleeding is super variable from person to person so some people were wearing diapers for 5-6 weeks and some needed less than a week of normal pads and were done. I know c/s vs vaginal there is some difference but everyone has SOMETHING for at least a few days. 

sparkymcgeee

With DD I was already in labor at 38 weeks and I was at the hospital. I thought I peed when I got up to pee and it was actually a rupture. I’m glad I was already at the hospital because there was meconium in the fluid and I wouldn’t have known. With DS I was 39 weeks and went to the hospital in labor and they broke my water for me. 

CoastieGirl79

@rooonilwaazlib thanks! I was wondering where you've been. Glad you're still around. I am flying Southwest, but I'm still going to ask the employees at the counter if there's any way I can board first. It's been a long time since I've flown Southwest; I can't remember if there is a row  behind a bulkhead that doesn't recline but offers more leg room to be able to stretch. 

CoastieGirl79

Looking for recommendations for maternity tights not leggings. I have several dresses for the fall/winter that I want to wear to work, and I prefer to wear opaque tights. Any brands you've had success with that don't pinch and don't sag? 

Thanks in advance!  

Jackiemxoxo

Pain question- I only needed advil after my first one but I definitely needed pain killers after my second one. That pitocin is no joke and my uterus hurt more finding its way back the second time. Honestly, the contractions of the uterus after birth hurt worse than labor.  

Summer vs Winter Baby- I have had both. The main difference I remember is having DH start the car up before leaving the hospital to warm it up in the winter. 

Confession- I am on my third kid and I don't truly know what it is like to go into labor naturally/have my water break on its own. With my first I was induced because of hypertension. With my second, I went a week overdue and was walking around dilated to 4cm and swore I was in labor. I went to the hospital and the OB said they weren't busy so they'd keep me and they broke my water there. I really hope with this one that I go into labor naturally and im not leaving the house until my water breaks. 

tosh24

@Jackiemxoxo I am TERRIFIED for the after pains this time around. I'll take labour any day over those! I had my second med-free and I only half-jokingly asked the nurse if I could have an epidural for the after birth uterine contractions lol!! They were brutal the second time around. It was so painful to nurse for the first few days with BFing stimulating the contractions too. I have no fear of L&D but I am already getting nervous for those after pains. 

Jackiemxoxo

@tosh24- exact same experience here! Well, I had the epidural but man I wish they kept it in for the afterpains. I cringed during bfing cause of the afterpains. I thought it was crazy how much worse it hurt the second time around. I think the third is gonna be brutal too. Let's hope it is better than what we are anticipating. 

nononorman

@CoastieGirl79 I liked asos tights last time around. 

rooonilwaazlib

@CoastieGirl79 I think it might do both -- we sat in that row once a few years ago and I'm pretty sure the seats did recline.  You might be able to board earlier but I think all the early boarders go on after the business select ppl.  So make sure you ask if you can board, maybe with the people in wheelchairs if necessary.  Good luck!

And yes, I've been super swamped at work so internet/screentime on my personal time has been minimal.  Trying to enjoy the summer!

bdream0916

So.... I've heard differing opinions on this. Some people say that you have to shave it all off down there before they let you give birth and others say that isn't the case. Some even say that the doctor will shave it off for you if you are in too much pain to do it yourself. Are these just weird stories or does this actually happen. STMs, help me out here. 

mrsmang

@CoastieGirl79 @rooonilwaazlib I’m flying southwest this morning, and do pretty regularly. Family boarding is after the entire A group (60 people). There is preboarding before A group for disabilities and such.  I’m thinking about asking to preboard since I’m traveling alone and a little worried about getting my suitcase up safely. However I’m not showing much so I’m worried I’m going to feel a little silly. Anyone have experience trying to get preboarding this early (16 weeks)?  I’ll let you know how it goes!

tosh24

@bdream0916 Wait, in what world does having pubic hair have anything to do with giving birth? That is ridiculous that people would say that! Never have I ever heard of anyone being shaved or doctors even caring. If you tore badly and they had to sew you up they may do a bit of grooming if you're not groomed already in order to stich you, but that's about it. If you're having a C-section they will probably shave the area of the incision. But in no way are you required to be bald to give birth. *Edit typo

drabong88

@bdream0916 exactly what @tosh24 said. I've never even heard that! By the end of pregnancy I couldn't even see what was going on down there. I tried to keep myself groomed but it gets tough lol 

ladystout08

No one ever suggested what I do with my pubic hair. I got waxed at like 36 weeks which was nice b/c I just had short stubble by the time I delivered and it was easier for clean up. In no way, shape or form was it required. My OB did suggest I take out my clit ring though, just in case. lol 

gorgeousariel

@bdream0916 by that point you're going to feel not actually looking at what you're shaving. I had an appt earlier in the day ( labor day) so I'm sure I trimmed up for that but if I hadn't had the appt. Who knows what it would have looked like. Drs don't care. 

kmos816

@bdream0916 I got shaved a bit for a stitch they had to put in

bdream0916

Ladies, thanks so much for the clarification!!

libertymomrn

bdream0916 said:

So.... I've heard differing opinions on this. Some people say that you have to shave it all off down there before they let you give birth and others say that isn't the case. Some even say that the doctor will shave it off for you if you are in too much pain to do it yourself. Are these just weird stories or does this actually happen. STMs, help me out here. 

They used to routinely do that to women before birth, but it hasn’t been done for some decades now.

parentingishard

@CoastieWife08 I liked the tights from Gap and Amazon last pregnancy and they've stuck around for this go.

@bdream0916 I sugared regularly before getting pregnant with DD1 and it became so painful that I stopped during my first trimester. I was not groomed down there and never even thought about it pre or post delivery. I did not have stitches. I've continued sugaring this time around because it isn't painful, so time will tell whether I'm groomed come delivery!

KLS123

sooo for those of you that normally go bald...is there a point at which you grow it out? Or does it just sort of happen when your belly is too big to see past/shave? I was just thinking about this yesterday in the shower wondering if I can make through any bathing suit events before starting to grow it out and then hope to get through the "itchy phase" before I'm anywhere close to delivery/potential tearing.

Perhaps I have to much time on my hands to contemplate pubic hair...

galactickates

I use a cream remover,  i'm planning on using it the entire time.  I'm not trying to shave down there when I get bigger and waxing gives me too many ingrown hairs. 

tosh24

@KLS123 Waxing during pg for me is super painful so I pretty much stopped that early on. There does come a point where you can't see/reach a whole lot so shaving does get more difficult. Especially if you don't want to slice up your labia lol  I did manage to get a good grooming session in about 3ish weeks before I delivered which basically just left me with short stubble for L&D. Also, sorry for the TMI, I wanted to make sure I was groomed for post-delivery reasons because no one wants a 70's bush down there when bleeding heavily for so long (you're not going to want to take a razor anywhere near your lady bits for a long time). Just keeps it easier to clean postpartum.

mrsmang

mrsmang said:

@CoastieGirl79 @rooonilwaazlib I’m flying southwest this morning, and do pretty regularly. Family boarding is after the entire A group (60 people). There is preboarding before A group for disabilities and such.  I’m thinking about asking to preboard since I’m traveling alone and a little worried about getting my suitcase up safely. However I’m not showing much so I’m worried I’m going to feel a little silly. Anyone have experience trying to get preboarding this early (16 weeks)?  I’ll let you know how it goes!

Well I pulled the pregnant card even though I was judging myself and got preboarding. I was so glad I did. I think the only isle seats were way at the back by the time I would have boarded and I wasn’t worried about needing to get up a lot. Instead I was one ignored the first people to board and didn’t have to worry about people bumping me while I wasn’t trying to put my bag up since I didn’t have anyone to help me. 

CoastieGirl79

@mrsmang success! That's awesome. I'm showing now and in a couple more weeks, I'm sure I will have popped even more. I can totally understand feeling guilty about asking if you're not showing. Thanks for doing recon for me! Lol! 

Re: shaving/waxing. The less hair you have, the easier cleanup is after birth. 

sweetyjenj

I asked my OB last time around 36 weeks if I should get a wax or not (I usually wax, I get too itchy when I shave) and my OB actually said that hair helps prevent infection, though not drastic enough to tell me to NOT do anything, so they basically said it's up to me. I just left it. It looked like a zoo for a few months I'm sure, I didn't even look for a while.

knottie538d132d556bf58d

Someone mentioned the sweating thing after you get home. I remember a couple days after I got home I woke up and the bed was soaked with sweat and I was shaking because I was cold because I was sleeping in water. I thought oh God, they’ve left a sponge I’m going into shock!!!! But it’s just your body getting rid of the extra fluids. I lost 7lbs in sweat one night and 7 more the next night. I could see my ankle bones again and told my family that I looked like an Ethiopian and that something was wrong!!!! They said, no I’d always looked like that I just forgot because of the swelling at the end.

katethemom

In response to pain meds: I had a c-section and was given oxycodone to take after my IV was taken out. They wrote me a rx to last 10 days, but I stopped taking 3 days after leaving the hospital, because I couldn't stand the sedative effects anymore. I can't compare the pain of a c-section to vaginal delivery from my own experience, but I was definitely in a lot of pain for the first week after the surgery. The highest I rated my pain in the hospital was a 7 when I had waited too long to alert the nurse about how I was feeling. (I was distracted by all the family visitors coming and going, which is one of the reasons I'm insisting people stay away this time around.) It was very difficult to move around for the first day or two after the surgery, but I was getting around well by the time we left the hospital 3 days after the delivery. I am anxious about having another c-section this time around, but at least I know what to expect. I think I will request rx strength ibuprofen for pain control rather than a narcotic. No joke, the oxycodone made me feel so weird and out of it. I do not recommend it. 

I love the mesh panties/diapers from the hospital. They were awesome for a c-section. I wish I had asked for more before I was discharged. 

BitterBetty12

@katethemom that’s so weird about how the oxycodone affected you. Aside from having less pain I didn’t feel any other side effects from it. Though everyone else should take that with a grain of salt because I was actually in the hospital for 7 days and down and out for most of it with a spinal headache and post partum preeclampsia (which caused me to take more medication). Did you only use the oxy? I think they gave me oxy AND ibuprofen. I used the oxy for the first 7 days and then just tapered off of the ibuprofen as time went on.

That being said - whatever you decide to do (especially if you have a c section) DO NOT try to be brave and skip a dose of pain meds of try and push them off until later in the first few days. It will catch up with you. And you will ultimately regret it. The reason you feel ok enough to push them off is because they’re doing their job. And then when they wear off you realize you made a mistake. 

sweetyjenj

omg the SWEATING! The whole first week...maybe 2?...I would wake up to nurse DD MOTN and I would be grossly wet with sweat and probably milk. I sweat so much every night during that time, it was crazy. I didn't even think I was that water bloated beforehand, but must have been.

Mandamay1414

Has anyone had a brother and sister share a bedroom? We live in a 2 br house and won't be able to move to a bigger place until my husband finishes his residency in 3-4 years. Little brother will be in our room until he sleeps through the night but the plan after that was to have DD and baby 2 (now little brother) share. Is this weird?

kns1988

Mandamay1414 said:

Has anyone had a brother and sister share a bedroom? We live in a 2 br house and won't be able to move to a bigger place until my husband finishes his residency in 3-4 years. Little brother will be in our room until he sleeps through the night but the plan after that was to have DD and baby 2 (now little brother) share. Is this weird?

I think it's only weird when they hit puberty. I'd probably want them to have their own space by 8 years old, but I don't see anything weird about it for little ones. I took baths with my male cousin all the time when we were little (probably 6 and under). I'm still deciding whether I want to sacrifice the guest room to give each kid their own room or if I'm going to have them share. I would only be worried about the toddler's sleep quality. 

kaf1788

kns1988 said:

Mandamay1414 said:

Has anyone had a brother and sister share a bedroom? We live in a 2 br house and won't be able to move to a bigger place until my husband finishes his residency in 3-4 years. Little brother will be in our room until he sleeps through the night but the plan after that was to have DD and baby 2 (now little brother) share. Is this weird?

I think it's only weird when they hit puberty. I'd probably want them to have their own space by 8 years old, but I don't see anything weird about it for little ones. I took baths with my male cousin all the time when we were little (probably 6 and under). I'm still deciding whether I want to sacrifice the guest room to give each kid their own room or if I'm going to have them share. I would only be worried about the toddler's sleep quality. 

I agree with this. We're in the same situation with a 2br condo (but this is our first). I really love our neighborhood and most likely won't be able to afford anything bigger here anytime soon so I full plan on having two here eventually for at least a few years!