I have a baby gear purchasing problem DS2 absolutely hated to be swaddled, and also hated sleep in general. I'm really hoping this baby is a better sleeper, and have been doing way too much swaddle research. Have any of you used the Ollie Swaddle, and if so, was it worth it?
@aukeev I haven’t, but I’m curious what swaddling you tried before? Have you tried swaddling with hands up? Thankfully babies do all have their own personalities from day 1! May the odds be ever in your favor!
I started sewing my own clothes this spring/summer - nothing amazing but picking up more fabric and projects is… far more fun than the amount of time I actually have I have, oh, 5 projects sitting here calling my name, fabric for 2 more coming tomorrow, and I’m still bookmarking fabric for some projects I want to do later in this pregnancy (double gauze to make a Muslim swaddle blanket, osnaburg to make a woven wrap)
@aukeev Be aware that swaddling is actually a relatively controversial practice anymore. The evidence isn't overwhelming, but I know that the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, as well as some hospitals and health authorities in BC are discouraging it now. RNAO goes so far as to say "There is currently no evidence on the ‘safe way’ to swaddle an infant, and hence caution regarding swaddling should be expressed with parents/ caregivers.”
Essentially, the concern is that swaddling (especially if done incorrectly, but even when done properly) can increase the risk of SIDS, overheating, and hip dysplasia, as well as hinder communication of hunger signs (like rooting, sucking on hands, etc.) that can impact the nursing relationship, if the parents are trying to nurse.
Okay so I went through all the baby clothes NB-12mo this weekend, sorted out the girl stuff I don't like that much to donate/sell, and counted how much gender neutral clothes we have in each category. Yay me! But I also got out my maternity clothes. Um. I forgot how much I had. And I've ordered more (it's already hanging in my closet). This is.... maybe a problem. I don't even leave the house that much. Like at least last pregnancy I lived in NYC so even to check mail I had to see the doormen, etc., but here I freeeequently stay in the same clothes 3 days straight. DH is going to kill me if he ever looks in my closet. And I don't even know where I'm going to put all my non-pregnant clothes.... eek... Maybe they can go live in my old closet at my mom's....
Yea, I'm extremely pro swaddling. The thing is that like ultimately not getting sleep is really dangerous too. The swaddle up from Love to Dream eliminates a lot of these concerns.
@Ivorytower2 I'm not saying not to - it's controversial, which means there is no solid evidence, just people starting to look into it. I just had no idea (neither of my kids like it, so was a non-issue), so want to make sure people are at least aware of the controversy.
Finally UCSF called me back with a cancellation, so my NT scan is tomorrow morning lol. I doubt DH will be able to get out of work, which is a bummer because he loves coming to scans.
@doula-mama That’s the first I’m hearing of a significant swaddling controversy. Are there any particular studies to look into? I know putting a swaddled baby on their side or stomach is very dangerous, but, also, duh, don’t do that. Also there is one Dr from AAP who said not to swaddle past 8 weeks but that’s not a formal recommendation. Certainly if there is any sign of rolling you need to ditch it.
I think I tested out pretty much every modern swaddle and the Ollie was a favorite for us. You can get it snug on the shoulders but keep it looser around the hips. DS2 was one of those kids with a crazy startle reflex whose neck would disappear, and he’d turn beet red and scream when he startled. He would do it even on the changing table and I’d have to pick him up to calm him down.
@zamoraspin2 It wasn't a study that I read, it was a position statement/guidelines document - the quoted statement is on page 35 (document page numbers, 37 if you are going by the page numbers in adobe), plus they discuss it on page 31 (33 in adobe) as part of the 'extra items' section. They do have a couple of studies loosely linked to their statement (one that shows no risk, one that does), but I don't think the evidence is strong enough for me to say more than just 'There is controversy around swaddling'. However, I still think it's worth mentioning (and part of me thinks that it could also be something that might be riskier for babies with other health issues, like preemies and such, just like bedsharing - but that's totally just my opinion)
@bluecampanula you mentioned something in another thread about labor and delivery being a coveted position in the hospital and it got me thinking...why is that? Is it because everyone is really happy, not usually sick, and there are adorable babies?
@doula-mama I’ll have to read this— we swaddle all our preemies in the NICU when they are able because it promotes less stimulation and more brain growth, and also helps with muscle development and joint stability. Before they’re at the age and weight to swaddle we have a lot of positioning aids and techniques we use to maintain them in a flexed position with knees to chest and elbows bent to sides with hands up near their faces. It promotes better outcomes for them, reduces feeding intolerance, increases weight gain, and stabilizes vital signs because it’s mimicking the boundaries in the womb. As long as a normal, term baby is not at the age where they can roll, or seems like they are not tolerating the swaddle for some reason, they are essentially getting the same benefits.
@doxiemoxie212, this is my third and I am definitely “showing something”. In the evening the bloat makes my tiny bump a bit more prominent. “Hump Day Bloat Day” hahahaha
******TW******Siggy warning BFP1 04/24/2015 EDD Dec 2015 MMC 10W5d; BFP 2 09/25/2015 EDD June 2016 MMC 9wks; BFP 3 03/22/2016 EDD Dec 6th 2016
@bluecampanula you mentioned something in another thread about labor and delivery being a coveted position in the hospital and it got me thinking...why is that? Is it because everyone is really happy, not usually sick, and there are adorable babies?
I would guess it’s something like that. Nursing can be very physical and sometimes risky and even though you’d still be dealing with people under stress it’s still probably more predictable? I imagine those nurses have had an increase of stress this past year, but probably still a little less than some other areas of the hospital.
I am not a nurse, or have ever worked in a hospital but a lot of my friends and family are nurses/nurse managers. Who are also not in L&D.
@doxiemoxie212 I'm 11 wks 5 days. I've have the slightest bump for almost a week now, but I really can't tell if it's Baby or just a permanent state of being bloated. But I've been telling DH it's definitely Baby lol
Omggg so I went for my blood draw today. It was NIPT plus also regular pregnancy blood panel. The woman asked if I had eaten because it was going to be “a lot of blood”.Great!!
As soon as they started taking it I started sweating, nearly passed out and couldn’t see straight. As I sat there trying to breathe and see, the woman made me sign and print my name to something and I think I wrote in hieroglyphics. Then she handed me a cup for urine sample. I moseyed around the office half blind until some woman led me by the hand to the bathroom. Managed to pee left the sample on some random persons desk and walked to my car where I promptly called DH and told him my location in case I passed out.
Home now and finally feeling better but geez!
@aloha_mama I should have listened to all your advice! I’m always a nervous patient but I’ve never been that close to passing out before.
So glad that’s over (and sorry to the person who’s desk I left my pee on).
@doxiemoxie212 I'm a TTM, so I've got baby weight from the previous two + bloating + new baby starting to push it out. I'm a bit self-conscious about it, since I'm only 12 weeks... but there's a definite bump haha
So was just in the ER this morning for 24 hour intrapelvic pain. Turns out I have a fibroid and it HURTS. Annoying but could have been worse. So now I’m on bed rest for 2 days with pain meds and a heating pad.
@Ivorytower2 YIKES! How scary!! I’m glad you were okay in the end but dang, that must have been terrifying. Next time don’t be afraid to sit as long as you need to. I’ve been that crazy person taking up space for a half hour in their lab draw chair but I guess they would rather have someone camp out than have the liability of me passing out on them lol
L&D is one of those highly sought-after positions for RNs, as is NICU and sometimes PICU. They are considered speciality floors and are critical care so it takes a lot of extra training and experience to work there. But the RNs that do work there have to have a passion for it or they’re not going to stay, and they’ll get burned out quickly. They can be very emotionally taxing units. Because it takes that extra passion and drive to work there, once an RN gets a position in the unit they probably aren’t going to leave (some RNs I work with have been there for 30+ years!) so job openings are few and far between. And once there is, you have to have some years of experience before you can get hired. L&D is considered one of the “happiest” places in a hospital and with a delivery there is a visible reward to hard nursing work and care (unlike most other units where patients can stay for weeks or months and leave without fully recuperating). It was where I initially wanted to work when I graduated nursing school but wandered my way into NICU, instead, and never left.
@Ivorytower2 oh wow, I'm glad you made it home safe. I'm surprised they didn't do anything to help you. I giggled at the pee on the desk lol.
@kiwi2628 hopefully you start to feel better soon!
@doxiemoxie212 I love my 40oz bottle. I definitely drink more using it with a straw.
I mentioned in another thread that I have my first MW appointment tomorrow and I was taking DD1 to the children's hospital today. Everything checked out for her which is such a relief. They did suggest a Covid test because she has a runny nose. So now I have to reschedule my MW appointment. I'm also pretty sure I have tonsillitis yay. And I accidentally told my boss I'm pregnant over text today. I had booked of some time tomorrow for a "doctors appointment" and when I texted him that I would be isolating and WFH, I said I would be rescheduling my MW appointment. He texted me back asking if that meant I was expecting. Also said I didn't have to tell him but if that was the case he was excited for me. I called him back and told him and he was very supportive. im glad it's out because I was feeling so guilty about going back to work pregnant off of mat leave. I now feel guilty that I told him over text and not in person.
I had a totally normal 9 week appointment till the nurse went to take my BP and said it was 142/95. So funny thing about taking BP manually. It is impossible for it to be odd numbers because the dash lines are multiples of two. Sign one we have not taken blood pressure correctly. I watched her blow the BP cuff up she couldn't get a read so she immediately did it again. This makes the BP invalid if you can't hear it you have to switch sides. So I say nothing because never a good idea to argue with your nurse so I just chill and note I'll be taking it again at home. Doctor calls me on it wants it done again with daily readings etc. I let him know about double pump BP hoping it would let me leave office. This only convinces him I need "spa" time where we turn off overhead lights lift up table pieces and I am to "chill" in the dark room 10 min and have BP done again. While I'm in spa time my husband is furiously texting me trying to figure out who is picking up child from daycare. Spoiler alert it was not me, I'm in spa jail also I'm sure those texts did not help my BP. She comes back still can't find my BP but I stop and suggest other arm. Finally we have BP! 124/76. Thank God I'm returned to the world at large!
So we just went to the virtual midwife meet and greet on zoom. I feel like I have no additional information about if I should go with the midwife practice or not. It was an hour long, and participants could ask questions in the chat, but it was mostly derailed by like one person who was clearly a covid-isn't-real person or something (WHICH IS INSANE!!!). The midwife and hospital covid policies are strict - you need proof of vaccination AND negative test upon arrive (both you and your support people), and without those things they will assume you are positive, put you in a negative pressure room, wear full PPE and require you to mask the entire time. So this woman kept just harassing them about it which left less time for anything else to be discussed.
My question about what they felt the difference between OB and midwife care in our area was basically answered as "difference of philosophy" which I don't really feel helps me make any kind of decision, but I don't really know what else I'd expect them to say. One of the midwives used to be a midwife at NYU, so having her specifically definitely appeals to me because she'd understand how wildly different our care here is compared to NYC. But just like the OBs, we get whoever is on call, so I don't know. They said there's no deadline to decide (you can even decide at time of arrival when you're in labor), so I guess I can just wait and see how I feel.
@doxiemoxie212 I'm sorry the meet and greet wasn't what you expected. That's frustrating that person ruined it for everyone.
I haven't had an OB, I had a MW with my 1st and the care I received was amazing. My practice is different than yours. There are many practices in the area and you apply to as many as you want. It was important to me that my MW had privileges at the hospital in my town so that limited my options. I got into one practice and I was treated by one MW the entire time. There always has to be 2 MWs at the birth so all of our group appointments were with my MWs patients and her partner's so we could get to know both of them. In the event my MW wasn't available at the time of my labour, her partner would come instead.
I loved that it was all informed decisions. She would explain the pros and cons of everything, explain what standard practice is and let me decide. If there was a reason to take a test or do a treatment, she would strongly recommend it. I felt a lot more empowered in my decisions. She was also available 24/7. If it was an emergency, I could call or text her. If I just had a question, I could email her and she would get back to me when she could. It was so nice not having to wait until my next appointment or call the nurse line to discuss me having a fever. She was also very open to any pain interventions in the hospital. Which I have been told is not the case for all MWs. My nurse friend said her MW rotation turned her off of MWs because she was so anti epidural or any "unnatural" intervention. That friend is now pregnant and is picking a MW over OB. I was lucky enough to get the same MW this time.
@miss_lynn9 yeah in NYC that's definitely the difference between OB and midwife care.
Here, though, it seems nearly identical. OBs are extremely low intervention, very patient oriented. Midwives are totally fine with you getting an epidural. There's only one practice in the entire county, and there's only one L&D in the entire county. You get whoever is on-call regardless of going with OB or midwife. You ask questions via MyChart or through the 24/7 nurse line regardless. So it's just hard for me to know how to make a decision.
The main difference that I can see is that midwives are on-call for 12-hr shifts whereas OBs are on-call for 24-hr shifts, so it's less likely I'd have a sleepy midwife? But doctors are really used to sleep deprivation, so I doubt it matters.
Re: Weekly Randoms w/o 9/20
I started sewing my own clothes this spring/summer - nothing amazing but picking up more fabric and projects is… far more fun than the amount of time I actually have
Essentially, the concern is that swaddling (especially if done incorrectly, but even when done properly) can increase the risk of SIDS, overheating, and hip dysplasia, as well as hinder communication of hunger signs (like rooting, sucking on hands, etc.) that can impact the nursing relationship, if the parents are trying to nurse.
They do have a couple of studies loosely linked to their statement (one that shows no risk, one that does), but I don't think the evidence is strong enough for me to say more than just 'There is controversy around swaddling'. However, I still think it's worth mentioning (and part of me thinks that it could also be something that might be riskier for babies with other health issues, like preemies and such, just like bedsharing - but that's totally just my opinion)
BFP1 04/24/2015 EDD Dec 2015 MMC 10W5d;
BFP 2 09/25/2015 EDD June 2016 MMC 9wks;
BFP 3 03/22/2016 EDD Dec 6th 2016
The June 2022 BMB just posted! We're definitely not new here anymore!
As soon as they started taking it I started sweating, nearly passed out and couldn’t see straight. As I sat there trying to breathe and see, the woman made me sign and print my name to something and I think I wrote in hieroglyphics. Then she handed me a cup for urine sample. I moseyed around the office half blind until some woman led me by the hand to the bathroom. Managed to pee left the sample on some random persons desk and walked to my car where I promptly called DH and told him my location in case I passed out.
Home now and finally feeling better but geez!
So glad that’s over (and sorry to the person who’s desk I left my pee on).
@kiwi2628 OUCH! I had been thinking of you since you mentioned that pain yesterday, I’m glad you were able to get help and hope you feel better soon!
@kiwi2628 ouch!! Hope you find relief soon; glad it’s nothing more serious though.
@kiwi2628 ugh that sounds miserable. hope you can actually get some rest. i know it is hard to do with toddlers.
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TTC/IF:included medicated cycles, IUIs and 2 rounds of IVF with 1 embryo each.
BFP finally in 12/2018
TTC#2 06/2021
planning FET
"Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks,
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@loveanddatadriven @bluecampanula Yes, I’m the NICU lady!
@kiwi2628 hopefully you start to feel better soon!
@doxiemoxie212 I love my 40oz bottle. I definitely drink more using it with a straw.
I mentioned in another thread that I have my first MW appointment tomorrow and I was taking DD1 to the children's hospital today. Everything checked out for her which is such a relief. They did suggest a Covid test because she has a runny nose. So now I have to reschedule my MW appointment. I'm also pretty sure I have tonsillitis yay. And I accidentally told my boss I'm pregnant over text today. I had booked of some time tomorrow for a "doctors appointment" and when I texted him that I would be isolating and WFH, I said I would be rescheduling my MW appointment. He texted me back asking if that meant I was expecting. Also said I didn't have to tell him but if that was the case he was excited for me. I called him back and told him and he was very supportive. im glad it's out because I was feeling so guilty about going back to work pregnant off of mat leave. I now feel guilty that I told him over text and not in person.
My question about what they felt the difference between OB and midwife care in our area was basically answered as "difference of philosophy" which I don't really feel helps me make any kind of decision, but I don't really know what else I'd expect them to say. One of the midwives used to be a midwife at NYU, so having her specifically definitely appeals to me because she'd understand how wildly different our care here is compared to NYC. But just like the OBs, we get whoever is on call, so I don't know. They said there's no deadline to decide (you can even decide at time of arrival when you're in labor), so I guess I can just wait and see how I feel.
I haven't had an OB, I had a MW with my 1st and the care I received was amazing. My practice is different than yours. There are many practices in the area and you apply to as many as you want. It was important to me that my MW had privileges at the hospital in my town so that limited my options. I got into one practice and I was treated by one MW the entire time. There always has to be 2 MWs at the birth so all of our group appointments were with my MWs patients and her partner's so we could get to know both of them. In the event my MW wasn't available at the time of my labour, her partner would come instead.
I loved that it was all informed decisions. She would explain the pros and cons of everything, explain what standard practice is and let me decide. If there was a reason to take a test or do a treatment, she would strongly recommend it. I felt a lot more empowered in my decisions. She was also available 24/7. If it was an emergency, I could call or text her. If I just had a question, I could email her and she would get back to me when she could. It was so nice not having to wait until my next appointment or call the nurse line to discuss me having a fever. She was also very open to any pain interventions in the hospital. Which I have been told is not the case for all MWs. My nurse friend said her MW rotation turned her off of MWs because she was so anti epidural or any "unnatural" intervention. That friend is now pregnant and is picking a MW over OB. I was lucky enough to get the same MW this time.
Here, though, it seems nearly identical. OBs are extremely low intervention, very patient oriented. Midwives are totally fine with you getting an epidural. There's only one practice in the entire county, and there's only one L&D in the entire county. You get whoever is on-call regardless of going with OB or midwife. You ask questions via MyChart or through the 24/7 nurse line regardless. So it's just hard for me to know how to make a decision.
The main difference that I can see is that midwives are on-call for 12-hr shifts whereas OBs are on-call for 24-hr shifts, so it's less likely I'd have a sleepy midwife? But doctors are really used to sleep deprivation, so I doubt it matters.