@alexa_94 - I’m with @sliztee on this. I literally just looked to see which one had a lot of reviews and high star ratings on Wayfair when Guncle and I ordered the crib and went with that one.
I also had a cervical check a couple weeks ago when they saw that my cervix was shortening. I felt a bit of pressure but that was about it... granted I wasn’t dialated at all, so that’s probably why it didn’t hurt?
I didnt find them painful just a bit uncomfortable. With DS I had one at 38 weeks along with a small stretch and sweep. I was 3cm and bled lots. In my case it was a decent indicator that I probably wouldn't go to 40 weeks. I had DS at 39 wks.
This time I'll be getting checked at 37 weeks, as we need to keep a close eye on things due to the quick labours.
My coworker had one done around 37 weeks I think. She said it was painful and she was still in pain that night. She brought it up to her Dr and was told they weren't necessary and if they were painful for her she could refuse.
I was reading about the baby dropping today. Use that something you can normally tell? I know G is low just because of movements and what I feel, but curious if I'll "just know" when he's actually dropped into my pelvic.
I had a cervical check in week 38 and the doc was like, “nothing to see here” and then my water broke 16 hours later. So yeah, mine weren’t indicative at all!
Also if your water breaks they don’t like to do them as they can introduce chance of infection. They actually didn’t realize I was at 10cm and ready to push until I forced them to check!
@jennybean80 oh how I wish I knew that when I was in labor with DS. I felt bullied into needing the cervical checks and i later learned it was so unnecessary. I'm glad I did more research this time around.
@sammierose464 I never actually felt DS drop into my pelvis last time around, so I don’t know what that really feels like. I’m curious if as a STM this time around I’ll notice it, but we’ll see!
Sorry you dealt with that @nmadjeski Lots of practitioners (docs and nurses) forget that their patient is a person, and get way too focused on them as a “case”.
I don't remember cervical checks being painful, just uncomfortable because my cervix was always so high she could barely reach it. The only time it was painful was when she tried to stretch my cervix to do a membrane sweep at 40 weeks. It sucked. I want to skip them this time, but I know curiosity will probably get the best of me once I get to 39 weeks.
Okay, I'm going to ask a somewhat silly question. How exactly do they do a cervical check? Are we talking 1 or 2 fingers? Is there a speculum involved or just a hand? want to ensure i'm prepared for this.
I didn't have cervical checks in office until 39w. The hospital did them maybe 2 or 3 times per shift - more at the end. But I was complaining of wanting to push and low pressure so they wanted to be sure. But that was because he was so low that's all I felt. They were uncomfortable but not painful for me.
@sammierose464 It's only thier hand. The idea is they use their fingers to measure the cm of dilation, which is why it's so subjective. I think 2 fingers though it's kind of hazy now. To measure your cervix they need to reach it, which is where some of the discomfort comes in - it's not always low. They then insert thier fingers into the hole that's opening in your cervix to see how big it is - this can be painful if they try to stretch you or you're not stretching on your own.
If they do a membrane sweep, they should ask you first. Though I've heard several stories where they didn't. That's when they insert a finger through the cervix and sweep it against the inner cervix to detach the placenta and hopefully cause your body to get moving. I'm told this is painful and I declined it when offered at 40w - my dr didn't feel it was necessary anyway just wanted to give me options in case I wanted to move things along.
All I remember about feeling DD drop was suddenly being able to breathe again, and feeling like a watermelon was about to fall out of my vag. DS dropped while I was in labor and I’d already had my epi so I just remember feeling a ton of pressure.
I did not find the stretch and sweep painful, just an odd feeling. I don't think they do anything to progress you along unless your body is already sort of there, then I think it might give it a little kick start but that's it.
@nasalot188 I think most of the stuff is that way, no help unless your body is ready. Mostly the sex and walking part, others aren't helpful at all. But yeah, if you're at the end and willing, might as well.
Babies come when they are ready! Mine was ten days late. I did all the silly little tricks and even acupuncture and the sweep. This time I'm not going to stress it. Generally unless there is a medical emergency your body does it's thing when it's ready, so skip the sweeps and tricks and enjoy your last few days of sleep. Even if you can't sleep well while pregnant, it's nothing compared to having an infant!
If I have a cold is it still ok to go to my 32 week appointment tomorrow? Don’t wanna show up and get the side eye when I start sniffling, but also doubt they’d be able to resschedule me anytime before my 34 week appt since it was hard enough for them to find me this appointment with the NP. what’s the etiquette?
honestly with my last ob none of my exams, pregnant or not, were ever even mildly uncomfortable. he would start talking about something and seconds later be reaching out his hand to help me sit up again, finished. i thought that i was just lucky because i know so many people who say that they hurt or are at the very least uncomfortable. turns out i just had an awesome dr because every one i have had with someone other than him has been really uncomfortable and/or at least somewhat painful. i am clearly still not over the fact that he moved away (but if you are in or near Bakersfield, CA i can recommend an excellent ob)!
i appreciate everyone's feedback because it is good to know that i can refuse checks at least for the time being.
I agree with @jweber4747 . Last time around my OB didn’t even do a cervical check until 40 weeks, I worked up until the Friday before my DD and then DS was 5 days late. I had a week to relax and get my life in order. It was kind of nice.
I'm so late to this car seat party, but I wanted to add that the LATCH weight limit counts the weight of the seat (I know some seats weigh 17-19lbs). Also obviously check your manuals (car seat and car) but I've found (and read) many LATCH limits are 65lbs. Car seats for the littles, is also a wonderful page (and Facebook group) that has lots of great information and car seat techs there that can help as well. (They ask you to answer questions and they can check install/straps etc if you take pictures). Helpful if you don't have any techs near. Also YouTube can be helpful! I found out the best/easiest way to get the tightest/correct install on DS's seat from there (in a way I never would have thought of lol).
Can anyone describe what Braxton Hicks feels like? Is it like period cramping? I started having abdominal pains lastnight, but I don’t know if it’s RLP just stronger or BH. I’m afraid to Google anything since it seems they always have the worst case scenarios.
@jandmnumber1 for me, BH feels like when he pushes against my ute and that part feels stretched and hard, but imagine that over the whole of the uterus. Its not painful at all, just uncomfortable as the ute feels tight and my belly feels extra full and when I push on my ute, its firm to the touch for like a minute or so.
@jandmnumber1 Braxton Hicks shouldn’t feel painful. The textbook definition is “non-painful tightenings of the abdomen”, although they can be uncomfortable. If they are truly painful and repetitive (ie every x-number of minutes) you should contact your doctor/midwife or just head to L&D to make sure they aren’t real contractions. Most women describe true contractions as feeling like really bad menstrual pains.
I was wondering about BH also. Yesterday (and randomly over the last week or so) I'll get what I can only describe as heaviness right in the front under my bump, like where my bladder would be. It doesn't feel like a contraction necessarily, but then I don't know what one feels like. It just feels....heavy. It'll last a while. Yesterday when I got home I laid down for a bit, and then I felt her move and relieved it some. My GUESS is that she turned head down and it's just extra heavy now, and she's just growing and growing.
With BH if you put your hand on the top of your bump, the muscle will feel hard (like a flexed bicep). With true contractions that same spot will get hard, but the pain is usually below the bump kind of from hip to hip (or across your low back at the same level).
Thanks @jennybean80 I think it is a combination of BH and RLP. They aren’t necessarily painful that I am crying or doubled over, but more of an annoyance. And then other times I get the rock hard stomach and eventually it will stop.
Huh so maybe I have been getting some. I feel some tightness sometimes when she is kicking me, but it lasts for like a minute, so I doubt it's her limb just pushing against me. But it's usually only in one location, like on my right side, and usually when she is kicking me. So hard to tell.
If I wasn't sure if I was having them before, I'm positive I did today. I've felt crappy most of this week. I was in a meeting at the end of the day and felt super nauseous so I went to the rest room, but didn't get sick. Came back and felt super off and clammy. Chalked it up to a really bad blood sugar drop, even though I've snacked all day. Ate a snack and started to feel better. Drove the 40 mom home, BH on and off the whole way. I've had them a few since I got home, but they are dying down.
SS has his kids triathlon tonight that he's been training for the last 6 months. It's another 30 min away and id have to drive myself there. Then I'd have to walk a bit and sit in the 85* weather. I decided not to go and make my BHs worse. So now I feel like a horrible mom.
Re: Questions 8/3
This time I'll be getting checked at 37 weeks, as we need to keep a close eye on things due to the quick labours.
Also if your water breaks they don’t like to do them as they can introduce chance of infection. They actually didn’t realize I was at 10cm and ready to push until I forced them to check!
Lots of practitioners (docs and nurses) forget that their patient is a person, and get way too focused on them as a “case”.
They were uncomfortable but not painful for me.
@sammierose464 It's only thier hand. The idea is they use their fingers to measure the cm of dilation, which is why it's so subjective. I think 2 fingers though it's kind of hazy now. To measure your cervix they need to reach it, which is where some of the discomfort comes in - it's not always low. They then insert thier fingers into the hole that's opening in your cervix to see how big it is - this can be painful if they try to stretch you or you're not stretching on your own.
If they do a membrane sweep, they should ask you first. Though I've heard several stories where they didn't. That's when they insert a finger through the cervix and sweep it against the inner cervix to detach the placenta and hopefully cause your body to get moving. I'm told this is painful and I declined it when offered at 40w - my dr didn't feel it was necessary anyway just wanted to give me options in case I wanted to move things along.
i am clearly still not over the fact that he moved away (but if you are in or near Bakersfield, CA i can recommend an excellent ob)!
i appreciate everyone's feedback because it is good to know that i can refuse checks at least for the time being.
OB thinks I probably don't notice them (if I'm having them at all..)
SS has his kids triathlon tonight that he's been training for the last 6 months. It's another 30 min away and id have to drive myself there. Then I'd have to walk a bit and sit in the 85* weather. I decided not to go and make my BHs worse. So now I feel like a horrible mom.