Mia081081 said - I'm also going a crunchier route of pregnancy/labor, and if you're interested I've found "Natural Hospital Birth" by Cynthia Gabriel really super informative and accessible to the general public. I love Ina May, but I know she freaks some people out
@abastian00 - That's next on my reading list! Glad to hear you found it helpful too
Some of Ina May's birth stories are whack. Like the one with the 2 naked ladies feeling each other's contractions, or the one where the lady orgasmed during birth. Med-free is doable, but definitely was orgasmic!
Mia081081 - You'll love it! It's my favorite book so far - definitely makes natural birth seem less crazy and way more doable. I feel super confident after having read it!
@Kinipela7 although I am not a fan of dressing up brand new babies, in my area/circle that does seem to be expected. If I had to at 6-8 weeks, I'd try for something that's an "outfit" like top and leggings or something comfy but not a plain white onesie. Hopefully, that would meet the dressing up requirement without LO being too uncomfortable.
STM, I didn't take any birth classes and felt like I did fine without them. I did do a bunch of reading, and my practice has a "Meet the Midwife" night where they do a very brief over view of options of pain meds. I found that helpful. I liked "Your Best Birth" by Ricki Lake. It goes over the pros and cons of just about every eventuality when having a baby and it was great to know all my options ahead of time.
We took C to a wedding at 8 weeks. She was in a very simple, sweet white dress for about an hour...and then ended up in her onesie and some pants. The only reason she even started out in the dress was because as the MOH myself, I knew she'd end up in some pictures. We went to another wedding when she was 12 weeks, and we started in the onesie and pants. So much easier. She's a baby, she doesn't need impress anyone.
Wow, you ladies are wonderful. Thank you for the variety of resources!! Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover these types of classes, otherwise it would be a no brainer. I should also add that while I am a FTM, this is my husband's second so at least one of us has a little bit of an idea what to expect (of course every pregnancy and delivery is different, but at least he has faced some of the general questions before). I'm still not sure what we will do but I'm definitely going to look into the books and other resources you ladies have mentioned. Thank you!!
I'm planning to BF and therefore also plan to NIP. I'm pretty modest and would like to cover up, at least in the beginning until I'm more comfortable with the whole process. I've seen nursing covers, but they look like brightly printed tents and IMO aren't particularly discreet. Could a swaddling blanket serve the purpose or is the tent-like nature of nursing covers necessary to keep them in place?
@babygabe614 -- I was going to do a way pricier, longer class at first, then found out our MWs were starting a new class that was 2 days and $80 . Some of them were six weeks long, which seemed nuts for something that would last two days.
@Temurlang1 -- anything can work of the baby allows it. Some just don't like to be covered.
I'm planning to BF and therefore also plan to NIP. I'm pretty modest and would like to cover up, at least in the beginning until I'm more comfortable with the whole process. I've seen nursing covers, but they look like brightly printed tents and IMO aren't particularly discreet. Could a swaddling blanket serve the purpose or is the tent-like nature of nursing covers necessary to keep them in place?
I found the nursing cover to just be easier because I didn't have to worry about it staying in place. You really just have to try out each way and see what works best for you. Practicing at home can make things a lot smoother when you're in public and a little nervous.
Kinipela7- Personally, I like to see little girls in dresses at weddings. With that said, if it's going to be hot, I'd choose a cute sun dress or something. I would not suffocate her with ruffles and bows.
@Temurlang1 - my son didn't like to be covered, especially as it got warmer. I used a burp cloth to cover what little of my breast that was exposed. Honestly it just looked like I was holding him. Just a thought in case you run into the same issue.
@Merie412 The info sent for my BF class says to bring your partner with you if you want. I think there will be some valuable information there for them, including how to help you when nursing gets difficult. I plan to drag mine along even though he is not exactly looking forward to it.
I'm planning to BF and therefore also plan to NIP. I'm pretty modest and would like to cover up, at least in the beginning until I'm more comfortable with the whole process. I've seen nursing covers, but they look like brightly printed tents and IMO aren't particularly discreet. Could a swaddling blanket serve the purpose or is the tent-like nature of nursing covers necessary to keep them in place?
Our friend used something that looked like a plain black, oversized infinity scarf. When it was on, it just looked like a shaw and when she was out (winter) she wrapped it up as a scarf.
For NIP I usually wore 2 tank tops (or a tank with T overtop); the under tank was stretchy and low cut so I stretched it down under nursing bra while the top shirt sat above. No skin showing. I could never get the hang of a nursing shirt. LO often held a blankie to her face too so that covered any potential boob flashes.
My breast feeding class is tomorrow night and I've been thinking-is H supposed to be at that? He likes to be involved in everything, but said he doesn't want to feel weird if he's the only guy. The pamphlet doesn't say much. What was the experience for y'all?
My hospital says that they recommend both partners to be there for all classes
@smhorak - a while back there was a really good thread with some monitor recs. I'll see if I can find it! I have the Summer Infant digital video. I like the video because DS used to think it was cool not to breathe and we had to be able to check on him quickly. I also like it because I can see if he is really waking up or just moving, etc. But the audio ones work just as well in regards to knowing when baby needs you.
@smhorak - a while back there was a really good thread with some monitor recs. I'll see if I can find it! I have the Summer Infant digital video. I like the video because DS used to think it was cool not to breathe and we had to be able to check on him quickly. I also like it because I can see if he is really waking up or just moving, etc. But the audio ones work just as well in regards to knowing when baby needs you.
I didn't even think of searching for a thread (even though now that you mention it, I remember reading one a while back). I was thinking a video would be good for knowing LO is actually awake, like you mentioned. Thanks!
Any suggestions on monitors? I'd like a video monitor, I think. Any downsides/upsides to video vs just audio?
I have the motorola video. Love this thing and it's a must have for us...there's been so many times by noise alone, I would have gone into the nursery. I like that I can just look, see that she's ok, and not bother. Its been buying me extra morning time to get ready since she'll play in her crib for a few and we go in once she's standing. We just bought an extra camera for #2. it has a split screen feature and the one monitor can use multiple cameras
My breast feeding class is tomorrow night and I've been thinking-is H supposed to be at that? He likes to be involved in everything, but said he doesn't want to feel weird if he's the only guy. The pamphlet doesn't say much. What was the experience for y'all?
My hospital says that they recommend both partners to be there for all classes
My husband came to ours. It was helpful for him to hear the difficulties, struggles etc and they also did a part on how he could help support me, things to do etc. I think it helped!
For NIP, in the beginning I was in a nursing tank alot. That was nice because it was an easy unhook and my stomach was covered with the tank. I usually wore a tee shirt or another tank over it so I had top and bottom coverage.
I'm not sure how its going to work in warmer weather. I was always more worried about flashing my stomach than my boob. I didn't get a nursing cover..I thought they were kind of ridiculous looking and used a swaddle blanket instead.
So, am I foolish to think I can just skip the whole birthing class thing? I just don't have an extra $100 to spend on it and frankly I think it will scare me more than anything else. Am I naive to just "wing it" or is there info I really need to get out of those classes that I can't find online or elsewhere?
FWIW I am taking a BFing class because that scares me even more than the actual birth part... but that one is only $20.
I skipped it. My doctor gave me the run down of the hospital run one that was a video and a tour for $90. He recommended some books and told me to maybe look at one of them and to be prepared with questions once my appts got to every other week. I toyed with the idea of going all natural. But, I'm the type of person where if I have a plan and things don't go according to plan I get really really bent out of shape. So, the plan I made with my doc was to play it by ear, be educated on options and that at every step he would go over the different options I had.
It worked for me. Turns out I went until 41 weeks. I was measuring small, we did an u/s and I had low fluid. He went over the induction options and why he didn't feel comfortable letting me go longer. We picked what options we wanted to go with first (hold off on pitocin for as long as possible). Once it came time for pain meds etc, my dr came in and talked us through our options and we chose what we thought was best.
It helped to have read up on different meds etc so we weren't making completely blind decisions. But, I'm doing the same plan..or lack of plan with this one. I just knew my personality and I knew if I said this is the birth I'm going to have and I didn't, I'd be a trainwreck
hollygb22 what sources did you use for your information on the different med options. Your "plan" is the same as mine currently - to not have one. Being a FTM I don't know how bad a contraction will hurt and IF I can stand it, I'd like to try natural but I am not against medication. I'd like to do what you did and know as much as I can ahead of time about the different types of medication and the pros/cons of each.
hollygb22 what sources did you use for your information on the different med options. Your "plan" is the same as mine currently - to not have one. Being a FTM I don't know how bad a contraction will hurt and IF I can stand it, I'd like to try natural but I am not against medication. I'd like to do what you did and know as much as I can ahead of time about the different types of medication and the pros/cons of each.
I read a couple of books..one was Ina May's Natural Childbirth, I believe another was put out by the mayo clinic. A friend who took a birthing class also gave me her little booklet from her class that outlined some. Reading some of this stuff familiarized me with different scenarios, meds, what is used and why etc and helped me when my doctor was talking about things I had some knowledge of what he as talking about.
I had a strange birth experience..I was admitted for induction at 41 weeks due to low fluid. I had talked to my dr about other techniques vs induction. They tried a foley ballon but couldn't insert and inflate it due to some scarring on my cervix. My dr. came in the next morning. He gave us the option of an oral med vs. pitocin and stripping my membranes. I wasn't in a l&D room and could not get pitocin and l&d was terribly backed up. He striped my membranes at 1pm and I was in active labor with contractions every 2 min at 345. It came out of no where.
I was moved to l&D and he went over the medication options with me. Honestly, since labor came so fast for me, I didn't have a build up of contractions and they were just one after another (I know everyones experience is different). I thought it would be more of a gradual build up with contractions further apart then getting closer and closer over time) which wasn't the case...I went straight for the epidural. I had a great experience with it..I could move my legs, feel the pressure to push and had no side effects afterwards.
I guess just going with no plan and going with the flow worked for me. I felt like my dr guided me and we have a good relationship and my husband and I made the right decisions for us along the way. No regrets not having a plan. I would have been in tears if something didn't go the way expected.
My stroller came in today! (Yeah!!) question, how old should baby be before I put her in the stroller without the car seat. Also it's a City Mini.
I used the infant seat adapter until she had better head/neck control..maybe 5 months? I don't think she was sitting up independently yet but wasn't slumped in there like a sack of potatoes. I didn't feel comfortable earlier than that..she was sort of slide over to one side and I had to constantly adjust her. I also didn't use any type of head support or any of those things.
My stroller came in today! (Yeah!!) question, how old should baby be before I put her in the stroller without the car seat. Also it's a City Mini.
we put DS in the regular seat when he could sit well with support and had good head and neck control about 4-5 months but I still regularly used the car seat until he was about 6 months when he was interested in what was going on around him and wanted to observe and see everything.
I bought this dress for Kid2's naming ceremony, which will likely be June 28. Never occurred to me to NOT dress her up - we had M's naming when she was 3 weeks old, this one will be 3-4 weeks old.
Any suggestions on monitors? I'd like a video monitor, I think. Any downsides/upsides to video vs just audio?
@smhorak I got a Summer Infant digital video monitor - I don't remember the model, but that doesn't really matter since I got it four years ago. Honestly, it lasted us about 3 years, and the only reason we stopped using it was because the handheld monitor's battery was gone and ONLY worked when plugged in. She was three, we didn't need it much anymore.
I always recommend video over audio-only - if only b/c sometimes they'll make noise, and it's easy to look at the monitor to see if they are actually AWAKE or just noisy. But I know people who only had audio and were fine. M was a decent sleeper (still is), but if she was a kid who slept lightly, I'd hate to constantly walk in and wake her up if she wasn't actually asleep.
Oh, and we never had any issues with static, as PP mentioned. We loved our SUmmer Infant, plan to get another.
My stroller came in today! (Yeah!!) question, how old should baby be before I put her in the stroller without the car seat. Also it's a City Mini.
@jshrop If you recline the seat all the way down, you can use the stroller fairly early. But I did like using the carseat adaptor, even when it was just a walk around the neighborhood - baby is well supported, which you'd probably have to deal with if you were using the stroller without it.
Don't think the hubby needs to go to the BF class. We had one guy in our class and can't think of anything I learned that would have been more beneficial for him.
My breast feeding class is tomorrow night and I've been thinking-is H supposed to be at that? He likes to be involved in everything, but said he doesn't want to feel weird if he's the only guy. The pamphlet doesn't say much. What was the experience for y'all?
@Merie412 all but one woman brought their DH to my class.
My stroller came in today! (Yeah!!) question, how old should baby be before I put her in the stroller without the car seat. Also it's a City Mini.
We put DD in the City Mini for walks without the carseat at maybe 4 weeks? She was itty still, but it worked fine. Just lay it all the way flat. If you want to do it often, I'd probably invest in one of those infant snuzzlers for it. They are like $15. As long as you lay the seat flat and aren't going fast or over super rough terrain, it will be fine.
Just seconding this. We aren't doing an infant car seat -- doing a convertible one instead. We also got a jogging stroller with a 5-point harness, just like in a car seat. We will recline it and have a snuzzler to put in it. I plan to use it early, once she seems okay in there. Probably by two months, maybe earlier. I won't jog with her, but neighborhood walks.
A childbirth question - how crazy is the epidural?
I've always been of the "drug me up and let me feel no pain" mindset, but the other day I somehow "remembered" tgat I don't like needles. Now I'm scared. Is it comoletely intimidating? I'm afraid to Google.
A childbirth question - how crazy is the epidural?
I've always been of the "drug me up and let me feel no pain" mindset, but the other day I somehow "remembered" tgat I don't like needles. Now I'm scared. Is it comoletely intimidating? I'm afraid to Google.
it's really not that bad. you sit on the edge of the bed and DH kneeled in front of me and held my hands. you don't even feel the needle go in just a cold sensation of the meds going in which is really strange. but all in all it's over in a second and with the contractions it's really the last thing on your mind you just want the relief at that point... at least I did.
@lest12 and you don't even see the needle. The worst part for me was trying to focus on staying still while I was getting the epidural and having a contraction at the same time. My anesthesiologist was cracking jokes the whole time, so that helped me relax.
@lest12 and you don't even see the needle. The worst part for me was trying to focus on staying still while I was getting the epidural and having a contraction at the same time. My anesthesiologist was cracking jokes the whole time, so that helped me relax.
oh girl they did it during a contraction? my anesthesiologist waited until it was over to do it. I can't imagine trying to hold still for that!
Re: Newbie Play date part 2
STM, I didn't take any birth classes and felt like I did fine without them. I did do a bunch of reading, and my practice has a "Meet the Midwife" night where they do a very brief over view of options of pain meds. I found that helpful. I liked "Your Best Birth" by Ricki Lake. It goes over the pros and cons of just about every eventuality when having a baby and it was great to know all my options ahead of time.
We took C to a wedding at 8 weeks. She was in a very simple, sweet white dress for about an hour...and then ended up in her onesie and some pants. The only reason she even started out in the dress was because as the MOH myself, I knew she'd end up in some pictures. We went to another wedding when she was 12 weeks, and we started in the onesie and pants. So much easier. She's a baby, she doesn't need impress anyone.
Married DH 7/30/11
CSC arrived 5/7/12
CHC arrived 6/2/14
@Temurlang1 -- anything can work of the baby allows it. Some just don't like to be covered.
These are the dresses:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/126901556/the-gray-elegance-romper-sash-headband?ref=sr_gallery_8&ga_search_query=flower+girl+outfit+baby&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery
BFP: February 2016 EDD: October 17, 2016
BFP: February 2016 EDD: October 17, 2016
I'm not new. I just hate The Bump.
BFP: February 2016 EDD: October 17, 2016
I have the motorola video. Love this thing and it's a must have for us...there's been so many times by noise alone, I would have gone into the nursery. I like that I can just look, see that she's ok, and not bother. Its been buying me extra morning time to get ready since she'll play in her crib for a few and we go in once she's standing. We just bought an extra camera for #2. it has a split screen feature and the one monitor can use multiple cameras
For NIP, in the beginning I was in a nursing tank alot. That was nice because it was an easy unhook and my stomach was covered with the tank. I usually wore a tee shirt or another tank over it so I had top and bottom coverage.
I'm not sure how its going to work in warmer weather. I was always more worried about flashing my stomach than my boob. I didn't get a nursing cover..I thought they were kind of ridiculous looking and used a swaddle blanket instead.
I skipped it. My doctor gave me the run down of the hospital run one that was a video and a tour for $90. He recommended some books and told me to maybe look at one of them and to be prepared with questions once my appts got to every other week. I toyed with the idea of going all natural. But, I'm the type of person where if I have a plan and things don't go according to plan I get really really bent out of shape. So, the plan I made with my doc was to play it by ear, be educated on options and that at every step he would go over the different options I had.
It worked for me. Turns out I went until 41 weeks. I was measuring small, we did an u/s and I had low fluid. He went over the induction options and why he didn't feel comfortable letting me go longer. We picked what options we wanted to go with first (hold off on pitocin for as long as possible). Once it came time for pain meds etc, my dr came in and talked us through our options and we chose what we thought was best.
It helped to have read up on different meds etc so we weren't making completely blind decisions. But, I'm doing the same plan..or lack of plan with this one. I just knew my personality and I knew if I said this is the birth I'm going to have and I didn't, I'd be a trainwreck
I read a couple of books..one was Ina May's Natural Childbirth, I believe another was put out by the mayo clinic. A friend who took a birthing class also gave me her little booklet from her class that outlined some. Reading some of this stuff familiarized me with different scenarios, meds, what is used and why etc and helped me when my doctor was talking about things I had some knowledge of what he as talking about.
I had a strange birth experience..I was admitted for induction at 41 weeks due to low fluid. I had talked to my dr about other techniques vs induction. They tried a foley ballon but couldn't insert and inflate it due to some scarring on my cervix. My dr. came in the next morning. He gave us the option of an oral med vs. pitocin and stripping my membranes. I wasn't in a l&D room and could not get pitocin and l&d was terribly backed up. He striped my membranes at 1pm and I was in active labor with contractions every 2 min at 345. It came out of no where.
I was moved to l&D and he went over the medication options with me. Honestly, since labor came so fast for me, I didn't have a build up of contractions and they were just one after another (I know everyones experience is different). I thought it would be more of a gradual build up with contractions further apart then getting closer and closer over time) which wasn't the case...I went straight for the epidural. I had a great experience with it..I could move my legs, feel the pressure to push and had no side effects afterwards.
I guess just going with no plan and going with the flow worked for me. I felt like my dr guided me and we have a good relationship and my husband and I made the right decisions for us along the way. No regrets not having a plan. I would have been in tears if something didn't go the way expected.
Good luck..sorry for the long version!
@jshrop If you recline the seat all the way down, you can use the stroller fairly early. But I did like using the carseat adaptor, even when it was just a walk around the neighborhood - baby is well supported, which you'd probably have to deal with if you were using the stroller without it.
IF, 5 losses, 1 son, 1 on the way.
We put DD in the City Mini for walks without the carseat at maybe 4 weeks? She was itty still, but it worked fine. Just lay it all the way flat. If you want to do it often, I'd probably invest in one of those infant snuzzlers for it. They are like $15. As long as you lay the seat flat and aren't going fast or over super rough terrain, it will be fine.

Just seconding this. We aren't doing an infant car seat -- doing a convertible one instead. We also got a jogging stroller with a 5-point harness, just like in a car seat. We will recline it and have a snuzzler to put in it. I plan to use it early, once she seems okay in there. Probably by two months, maybe earlier. I won't jog with her, but neighborhood walks.https://m.target.com/p/graco-pack-n-play-playard-with-reversible-napper-and-changer/-/A-15078293
I've always been of the "drug me up and let me feel no pain" mindset, but the other day I somehow "remembered" tgat I don't like needles. Now I'm scared. Is it comoletely intimidating? I'm afraid to Google.