Weekly Randoms 7/22-7/28

stassischroeder

@MrsVP614 @varimama I don't understand why anyone tries to make someone tell them about their pregnancy before they're ready. Like THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU ILs!

lm45678

Gave in and wore maternity jeans today and I am in heaven! Granted this is 98% bloat/extra weight I’ve had for a while, but still!

ruby696

I'm so jealous @laurenm2123! Maternity pants sound heavenly. 

kantobean

@laurenm2123 I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling bloated! I swear my uterus is already stretching and getting “harder.” I can still button my tighter pants but it’s not comfy.

kantobean

@laurenm2123 I’m glad I’m not the only one feeling bloated! I swear my uterus is already stretching and getting “harder.” I can still button my tighter pants but it’s not comfy.

bluguitarhannah

@laurenm21213 & @kantobean I think we are well represented in the bloat club.  Found a couple of things up a size and researched maternity skirts.  It's my work wardrobe (bottom half) clearly going to be the issue.  Not up a pound but it's all in different spots.  Not a complaint at least it's a symptom.

stassischroeder

@laurenm2123 I'm finding the STM experience to be quite different from the FTM! Like I wore normal clothes until 14+ weeks last time, and I seriously doubt I'll make it that long this time. The comfy, stretchy high-waisted jeans that I bought a couple weeks ago are already uncomfortable

lusineg

I feel so much better coming here to mention a symptom, and see others are all aboard the bloat boat right at the same time. I just err..loosened my dress pants in my office. Yet, feels too soon for me to to look into maternity clothing.

stassischroeder

@lusineg I'm often the only one in my office, and I've been rocking unbuttoned pants most afternoons. 

lusineg

@stassischroeder - I wish! That sounds so nice! I'm in a high traffic area across from a conference room. 

varimama

I never actually wore maternity pants last time. I had just lost weight and was down a pant size so that plus a belly band got me through 9 months. This time I’m down two sizes but still have my bigger pants so I think I’ll get away with it again. 

kailanae

DS1 was an August due date and DS2 was October, so since they were fairly close in seasons I thought I would be able to wear all the same maternity clothes.  I ended up having to wear maternity clothes with DS2 much sooner than with DS1, and also had to buy another size up near the end of the pregnancy because my belly was busting out of my maternity stuff.  I mostly sized up in warm weather maternity so I suspect with this baby, I'll have to get bigger sized cool weather maternity stuff.  Boo!  I also ended up dealing with diastasis recti after DS2 and did several rounds of PT to reduce the spacing of my abs, so that will be another fun thing to manage this time around as well.

lm45678

The bloat is real! I’m also mad at myself for not only not losing weight, but gaining weight before this pregnancy. I need to whip my ass into shape post baby!

@stassischroeder I definitely think the second time is hitting me quicker than the first time! Sorry about your pants, how frustrating!!

@lusineg I’m 7+4 today and it definitely feels too early to be buying maternity, but at the same time it is nice to actually feel pregnant and want to buy something for the pregnancy. I also gained weight recently so my clothes are tight regardless of pregnancy so even though I’m slightly embarrassed, it’s way more comfortable to be in stretchy pants right now!

@kailanae I was hoping that maternity clothes would be the same this time around since DD is a June baby, but with the slight difference I think I need a couple comfortable pants/shorts to get me through the summer! Hopefully all the sweaters and long sleeves get me through the fall and winter?

miss.sally

@stassischroeder I was in regular clothes until about 20+ weeks with #1, 9 weeks with #2, and I’m already in maternity pants with this one at 7 weeks. Lol. 

kantobean

I think I wore mostly regular pants until 14 weeks last time. But maternity didn’t really work well for me right away, so I was just wearing leggings for a while.
 
Since I have been losing weight, I just bought a new pair of tight jeans a month ago, and have worn them like twice since it’s so hot here. Put them on today and I was DONE with that by noon. Nope. Into a box they go until I lose weight again.

mrsvp614

Last night, I helped shoot a story we're doing on our new Miracle League program. I am not usually a super emotional person, but y'all, after we did our interviews and the kids started the baseball game, I cried the entire time. I was only able to stay for a few innings, but I was grateful that I was wearing sunglasses because I could not control myself! 
Seeing these innocent kids, with all different disabilities, and their families having so much fun doing something they've never been able to do before... I couldn't handle it.
It made me so grateful for a child who is able-bodied, but also made me realized that it could change at any moment. One girl was paralyzed at the age of 5 from doing a back bend! It also gave me a reality check that when I think my life is difficult, I cannot fathom what they go through on a daily basis. 

EmilyLove25

@MrsVP614 I feel you 100%. When I see news stories like that, it gives me such a perspective... And I am also overjoyed at how much joy those kids have regardless. They give me all the feels. I think the Miracle League things are amazing. We have a great field here in Cincinnati too.

stassischroeder

@MrsVP614 what a cool story to work on! I would've been a blubbering mess 

ruemcclanahan

My pants busted open at work last night sooo thats where my bloat is at

kantobean

I’m so tired and irritable today and DD is getting on my last nerve. We went hiking with friends and she ran the first quarter mile and then got so tired she refused to walk, so going back I had to carry her part of the way and borrow a stroller the rest of it. Thankfully it was pretty flat. She’s just been grouchy and whiny all morning and my energy is totally zapped. I feel like I should be soaking up this time with her. I go back to school in less than two weeks and I know I’ll miss this. But I’m just so tired.

momoftoddlers

@kantobean I so feel you on this. I keep telling myself to soak up the time with my girls, because things will be different once the baby comes. But at the same time I’m like can everyone please stop whining my name and touching me and just leave me be for five mins. 

momoftoddlers

@ruemcclanahan 🤣 Sorry to laugh, but I’m glad to hear it’s not just me. I’m contemplating going down to the basement for my maternity leggings bc I am so darn bloated. 

momoftoddlers

@kagesstarshroom @chichiphin

Would you mind sharing some of your IBS-friendly meals and snacks? I’m having a hard time balancing pregnancy aversions and this new IBS diagnosis and frankly I’m afraid to eat and get sick again. Thanks in advance!

stassischroeder

@kantobean @momoftoddlers solidarity ladies. I work full time, but lately anytime daycare closes early (3x this week) or I have extra parenting duty I'm dreading it. I know that sounds horrible, but it's hard to look forward to extra time with DS when he's been extra cranky/clingy, I feel like sh*t, and I'm super hormonal. 

kantobean

@momoftoddlers yes! All morning she was so whiny just saying “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” Ugh! I even offered her a cookie if she would behave (great parenting, I know) and she says “No! I don’t like cookies! They’re yucky!”

 Now we’re resting in my bed together and she will not stop kicking me.

kagesstarshroom

@momoftoddlers I think one of the most difficult things about IBS is that it affects everyone differently? I avoid all fast food and pretty much anything processed. I also have to avoid over-eating and stress, as both of those cause attacks for me too. A lot of people w/ IBS will follow a FODMAP diet & swear by that, but for me it's the chemical preservatives in most fast food and processed food (and so many condiments and drinks, too, actually) that get me the worst, so FODMOP only goes so far. I would keep a food diary and track reactions, too, and then do an elimination diet from there, paying attention not just to foods themselves but the ingredients within them. I try to buy All Natural, which isn't an actual... food label, but most things that say All Natural are mostly if not all All Natural? They're allowed to put chemical preservatives in organic foods (Don't Get Me Started), so basically I read a lot of labels and try to avoid Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, and anything that sounds like those (Sodium Citrate is another one, for example.) But like I said--your triggers could be different than mine bc unfortunately with IBS there's no one right way to fix it for everyone.  That is my best possible advice, and I hope it helps you at least a little and ideally a lot!

miss.sally

Need to vent. 

So so I had my first appointment today. It went well, we went over all the usual stuff. I asked about NIPT and she gave me the codes in order to call my insurance but warned me that they aren’t generally covered. I call my insurance, talked to them for 35 mins. It’s covered! Woo! So I call the office back, let her know. She’s surprised but happy for me. Says she will get the order sent off ASAP. Half an hour later she called me back and said the codes weren’t correct. Gotta call insurance back 🙄. I called them back and after 45 minutes he says the new code not only isn’t covered, but doesn’t even GO with the other ones she gave me. Luckily the guy was really nice and gave me the exact code to have them use to make sure it is covered. So after that 45 minute conversation I call the office back (2:45pm). They’re CLOSED. For the weekend. So now I can’t even get back in touch with the lady until Monday. Grrrrrrr. Pregnancy rage on high. 

End rant. 

silverhope

@miss.sally ugh that is so frustrating. Stuff like that makes me so angry even when I’m not pregnant

EmilyLove25

@miss.sally Blah, so annoying! I like things planned and scheduled. BUT on a positive note, it is covered and you will get it scheduled. 

PS Who closes at 2:45 PM?

chichiphin

@momoftoddlers @kagesstarshroom is right that everyone is different. For example, a lot of fruits wreck me. I MUST have coffee every morning to get my gut going. Are you IBS-D or C?? 

@miss.sally that is frustrating. Good news is that most of those companies let you pay them directly OOP for like 200-300 bucks if you want the NIPT. I also recommend not skipping the NT ultrasound scan for the NIPT. Do both!

keeksie84

@chichiphin can you speak more to why you'd not skip the NT scan for NIPT? I did both last pregnancy, but my midwife said that the NIPT was much more accurate so I didn't need the NT. I still have it as an option though. I'm curious to hear your thoughts! 

kagesstarshroom

@keeksie84 There's a great chapter in EXPECTING BETTER about the scans & the author explains why she did the NIPT for her first pregnancy and skipped straight to the NT for her second.

kailanae

DS1 (4 yo) just told me that he dreamt last night that the baby wasn't in my belly anymore, it was bigger, and it was a boy.  Interesting that he is already dreaming about the baby!  I'll be curious to see if he's predicted correctly.

RanFan28

@kailanae One of friends who knows has a 3 year old daughter that said, “I think Mrs. RanFan has a baby.” She was asleep when I told her mom and that’s the only time we’ve talked about it. Some kids know things! 

thescarletmom

Today was DS's birthday party and tomorrow is his third birthday 😭 I swear yesterday he was an itsy bitsy newborn! Anyways we haven't told any family yet, so the fact that I got incredibly nauseated about an hour before his party was a double PITA. I puked in the bathroom twice while everyone was here, but thankfully no one seemed to notice. And now im just glad every one is gone and the kiddo is occupied with all his cool new toys for me to lay on the couch 🤞

chichiphin

@keeksie84 sorry I'm just now seeing this!! so long answer below (some of this is copied from my response to a 1st tri post): 

The NT Scan/ultrasound measuring the nuchal fold will show if there is an increased fold which is an indicator of multiple things. The way my geneticist described it is that an increased fold is usually 50% chromosome issue, 40% other issue (varying ranges of severity) and 10% normal, and will resolve. The larger the fold, the more likely there is a bigger issue. Our NT measurement was 7.... which is way out of the normal range. 

The NIPT blood work is actually NOT the most accurate test you can get. It does look at dna fragments in moms blood, but also assigns a risk score - it is not solely looking at baby's DNA, rather a fragmentation of baby's DNA. NIPT results assigned a risk score based on the DNA frag, mom's age, prior pregnancies etc to give a risk score for the issues it tests for. The fold size, taken in conjunction with other risk scores on the NIPT needs to be calculated BY A HUMAN for an actual risk score. 

One test over the other is actually not "the most accurate" - rather taking multiple diagnostic tools and looking at results in totality is ideal. The genetic counselors (spoke with 3) told me that the only way to be sure in the immediate future was with CVS with microarray or an amnio - this is because you actually testing the DNA that is purely from the pregnancy.  

In conclusion - if you only do NIPT without the NT ultrasound, you may come back low risk even if there is an issue. I won't say this is a "false negative" - it calculates a RISK SCORE - not a YES/NO. The only tests that are YES/NO to a chromosome issues are CVS with microarray and amnio. 

keeksie84

@chichiphin Thanks so much for taking the time to reply!  Your response makes a lot of sense.  I'll also read the chapter in Expecting Better (thanks @kagesstarshroom) and schedule the NT as well.  They are both covered by insurance, so it doesn't make a lot of sense to me to skip it.  

chichiphin

@keeksie84 plus it’s and extra peek at the bean!!