FFFQ! Flame free questions answered! Mucus plugs? Dilation? Toothbrushes? No question too stupid!

MrsWiggleWaggle · May 2015

HAPPY FRIDAY! I didn't have a good confession but I do have a NOOB question!

Is there a way to prevent back labor? Someone said something about not reclining in another thread. Does that work, I recline all the time. I'm freaking out because back labor sounds like it's own special type of hell!

virginiaunicorn11 · May 2015

Thank you for starting this! I have the same question about back labor. Also

2) I think this is a dumb question that I already know the answer to, but...any chance an easy pregnancy could mean an easy labor? ;;)

3) Does anyone have good resources I can give my DH to prep him for being my birth partner? He is flippin' fantastic, but the size of his eyeballs when I mention that he will be the one "in charge" indicates he is not quiiite ready. We can't take classes, so books, videos, links, advice welcome.

Thanks in advance!

karaelaine1991 · May 2015

@amark in regards to #3 I got DH a book from the library called Dad's Pregnancy Playbook or something like that (will double check when I get home from the doctor's). It's perfect for him because of the sports analogies and it breaks everything down into short but informative paragraphs - DH is not a big reader, so this was super helpful! I have no answer to #2, but I'm with you, I hope that's the case!

mvargas12 · May 2015

@MrsWiggleWaggle I had to google this cause I didn't even know what back labor was! This websites bullets techniques to ease discomfort of you do have back labor. I love me some bullet points! (Short and to the point)

https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/back-labor/

Hope this helps!

dancegurl1118 · May 2015

@MrsWiggleWaggle I just died at the toothbrush part, @hoodoll82 thank you for sharing that with us.

Most of back labor is the position of the baby, when it is "sunny side up" meaning instead of face down it is face up. This means that as baby gets squeezed during contractions, the hardest part of the head is hitting your tailbone causing the pain. Don't be a lump on a log in bed with this pain! Movement and lots of leaning encourages baby to turn. Leaning forward on a bed or couch during contractions can give baby some space, also doing some lunges with a leg up on a chair and leaning forward helps a lot (please have someone to support you!!)

firsttimer86 · May 2015

Lost my mucus plug this morning...don't worry I didn't take a picture lol. I am starting to get nervous. I read that just cause you lose it it could still be like 2 weeks away from labor. I just wanna know if anyone else has experienced this?

Addelie · May 2015

Oooh I was hoping there would be a FFFQ thread - thank you!

Has anyone gotten any stretchmarks which skipped the red/purple stage and went straight to silvery white? I think the sides of my tummy are covered in lots of teeny silvery lines which i assume are stretchmarks (i'm fine with it if they are - gotta love them tiger stripes of honour) but i was told they'd start off a dark colour?

staceyfern · May 2015

karaelaine1991 said:
@amark in regards to #3 I got DH a book from the library called Dad's Pregnancy Playbook or something like that (will double check when I get home from the doctor's). It's perfect for him because of the sports analogies and it breaks everything down into short but informative paragraphs - DH is not a big reader, so this was super helpful! I have no answer to #2, but I'm with you, I hope that's the case!

Thanks for this info. Just looked it up on Amazon and it looks super helpful. I have prime so it will come in two days. Just hope hubby has some time to read through it before LO comes!

Addelie · May 2015

@amark11 I am hoping that an easy pregnancy means easy labour - however one of my friends said that she hopes karma is a bitch and that i fully deserve to suffer

Serenamarr · May 2015

@firsttimer86 I haven't yet but I know a LOT of women have been posting saying they lost all or pieces. Weird thing is it regenerates like a lizard. So it basically means nothing lol just like all the other "signs"! Frustrating.

@amark11 the Bradley Method of childbirth coaching is actually also referred to as "husband coached" childbirth and is all about hubs being in charged! The textbook is a bit dated but if you search the Bradley method you should find a lot of info!

HoosOnFirst · May 2015

firsttimer86 said:
Lost my mucus plug this morning...don't worry I didn't take a picture lol. I am starting to get nervous. I read that just cause you lose it it could still be like 2 weeks away from labor. I just wanna know if anyone else has experienced this?

I'm not an expert (I'm a FTM) but my recollection of answers from other posters on this board is that mucus plug loss could still mean nowhere close to baby. It needs to happen before labor, but a lot of things do, so that in and of itself is not meaningful in predicting timing. (Can anyone else add anything?)

firsttimer86 · May 2015

Regenerates?! What the deuce???? Ugh ..here I thought I possibly could be heading in the right direction lol thanks tho @Serenamarr

teather5 · May 2015

Addelie said:
Oooh I was hoping there would be a FFFQ thread - thank you!

Has anyone gotten any stretchmarks which skipped the red/purple stage and went straight to silvery white? I think the sides of my tummy are covered in lots of teeny silvery lines which i assume are stretchmarks (i'm fine with it if they are - gotta love them tiger stripes of honour) but i was told they'd start off a dark colour?

Mine are white too. I've had the purple ones in the past from non pregnancy related weight gain and they were itchy and painful, these haven't been at all. Also, all my old ones that used to be purple faded when I lost weight before getting pregnant and look like these new ones. I know I've gotten more if that makes any sense?

MrsWiggleWaggle · May 2015

@dancegurl1118 thank you so much! I don't this is one of those thing my doctor hasn't bothered to mention. I have avoided the pregnancy books so far on my husbands insistence they would just make me anxious. He said "can't you read some dragon fantasy crap instead" and he bought me a fantasy book i wanted instead.
@firsttimer86 seems like loss of plug won't mean much. It does mean your body is starting to get ready but you could still deliver later than your due date!

cheriep3 · May 2015

This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.

Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

47923ang · May 2015

cheriep3 said:
This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.
Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

I'm curious to see the responses to this. My first few weeks home is my biggest fear too!

FloGirl82 · May 2015

@firsttimer86 - I lost all of my plug/had my bloody show on Sunday and I'm still not in labor. And according to my OB, who I saw yesterday, it just means you lost your plug-it doesn't signal that labor is coming any sooner or later than your due date. You can lose it and have weeks to go. That is my understanding. I don't put any stock into losing mine. Unless my water breaks or I start have consistent contractions, I'm not taking it as a sign of labor coming soon. Each body is different though.

Hope that helps.

lindsladle15 · May 2015

cheriep3 said:
This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.
Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

There is definitely validity to this! I actually loved being in the hospital with DD, nurses there, family, pretty much everything taken care of! Baby even went to nursery to sleep at night *ahhh***. So DH and I slept!
Once we got home, yikes, I hated nights! I felt alone, helpless, they were long for a few weeks, and no matter how many times my mom, sister, and DH said to wake them up to help/be supportive, I just felt like it was all on me. I had a lot of painful cramping/contractions with recovery as well, so I sat around a lot, which was needed, but I didn't just bounce right back. My mom and sisters left after 10 days, DH had gone back to work after just a couple, and I bawled like a baby! Postpartum blues, anyone?! Talk about it with people...don't stay bottled up. It helps just to verbalize! Otherwise, most people will assume you're doing well!
Don't feel like you're abnormal for the way you feel/handle things after birth. I'm expecting some of the same this time, and yet different, too.

lilitaliangirl · May 2015

Addelie said:
Oooh I was hoping there would be a FFFQ thread - thank you!

Has anyone gotten any stretchmarks which skipped the red/purple stage and went straight to silvery white? I think the sides of my tummy are covered in lots of teeny silvery lines which i assume are stretchmarks (i'm fine with it if they are - gotta love them tiger stripes of honour) but i was told they'd start off a dark colour?

Not this time around....yet. but, with DS my stretch marks showed up after delivery and we're never purple, red or anything other than fleshy (faded) looking.

Zeuskay01 · May 2015

Addelie said:
Oooh I was hoping there would be a FFFQ thread - thank you!

Has anyone gotten any stretchmarks which skipped the red/purple stage and went straight to silvery white? I think the sides of my tummy are covered in lots of teeny silvery lines which i assume are stretchmarks (i'm fine with it if they are - gotta love them tiger stripes of honour) but i was told they'd start off a dark colour?

I have gotten TONS of stretcbmarks and I also don't mind. Some of mine are reddish and some of them are that "see through"/silver looking color. I have zero clue why they're different colors though... Now I'm interested lol

Sammy K · May 2015

amark11 said:
2) I think this is a dumb question that I already know the answer to, but...any chance an easy pregnancy could mean an easy labor? ;;)
Thanks in advance!

I hate to be the wet blanket but no. No correlation here at all. It also doesn't mean it will be awful either. But I had an easy pregnancy the first time around and let's just say L&D was not a joyful, empowering experience. This pregnancy has been the same and I'm scared labor will be the same too.

rrcameron21 · May 2015

cheriep3 said:
This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.
Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

I feel the exact same way! FTM so I don't have any advice but you're not alone.

karaelaine1991 · May 2015

@amark11 double checked on the title - it's actually "The Dad's Playbook to Labor and Birth" by Theresa and Brad Halvorsen. @staceyfern I'm glad you were able to find it even though I messed up the title!

dancegurl1118 · May 2015

cheriep3 said:
This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.
Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

The good news is this forum doesn't end after birth and we will still all hopefully stick around to commiserate over 2am feedings and how to care for a human being

Mommaswizz · May 2015

dancegurl1118 said:

cheriep3 said:
This may sound crazy (or maybe it's normal?) but I think I'm more nervous about bringing our man home than I am about pushing him out of me.
Are the first few weeks really as tough as they say they are?

The good news is this forum doesn't end after birth and we will still all hopefully stick around to commiserate over 2am feedings and how to care for a human being

I think that's one of the more comforting things about being on the bump. right now, many of us are all speculation and wondering what's going on between pregnancy and labor (at least as a first time mom) and once we cross over to the other side, we'll be living the reality every day and we'll have each other to lean on. Can't wait to ask questions like "Is my baby's poop color normal?"

SammeMotley · May 2015

I'm so glad I'm having a scheduled csection. Mucus plug? Back labor? Ha!! Unless my water breaks or I'm having serious contractions, this baby is coming out June 22 and everything else is irrelevant.

lindsladle15 · May 2015

This isn't a question, more of a random comment....Can I just say, I hate newborn mittens. I think they are useless and unnecessary. I was one of those moms cutting my baby's nails at the hospital, and ya, I pinched one finger a little, but the nails were short and I could look at and touch her hands, not just mittens!
Whew, glad I got that off my chest

lilitaliangirl · May 2015

lindsladle15 said:
This isn't a question, more of a random comment....Can I just say, I hate newborn mittens. I think they are useless and unnecessary. I was one of those moms cutting my baby's nails at the hospital, and ya, I pinched one finger a little, but the nails were short and I could look at and touch her hands, not just mittens!
Whew, glad I got that off my chest

I actually just read that it's recommended not to use them, especially during nursing because it's important for baby to have skin contact with hands. I think I used them for maybe a day with DS. And, yes he did scratch himself occasionally, but it didn't bother him.

SarahBaby87 · May 2015

I'm on bedrest taking Procardia to keep away my contractions. I'm 33+3 and am supposed to stop taking the Procardia at 35 weeks if I haven't gone into labor already. Has anyone come off this type of medication before? Did labor just start up right away? Did it take a few days? I know my experience will be different but I still wonder what it was like for others. I think my husband pictures me pushing out a baby as soon as I miss the first dose!

lindsladle15 · May 2015

lilitaliangirl said:

lindsladle15 said:
This isn't a question, more of a random comment....Can I just say, I hate newborn mittens. I think they are useless and unnecessary. I was one of those moms cutting my baby's nails at the hospital, and ya, I pinched one finger a little, but the nails were short and I could look at and touch her hands, not just mittens!
Whew, glad I got that off my chest
I actually just read that it's recommended not to use them, especially during nursing because it's important for baby to have skin contact with hands. I think I used them for maybe a day with DS. And, yes he did scratch himself occasionally, but it didn't bother him.

There is validity to my rant! Thanks! I knew I had seen some research recently, but I can't think anymore.

dancegurl1118 · May 2015

lindsladle15 said:
This isn't a question, more of a random comment....Can I just say, I hate newborn mittens. I think they are useless and unnecessary. I was one of those moms cutting my baby's nails at the hospital, and ya, I pinched one finger a little, but the nails were short and I could look at and touch her hands, not just mittens!
Whew, glad I got that off my chest

I just bought some today because I felt like a bad parent..I've seen some nasty scratches on newborns but $20 says I forget to even bring them to the hospital.

lilitaliangirl · May 2015

So this may be a tmi, but does anyone else try to make sure you poop every day with fear of pooping while pushing? My sister is a L&D nurse and said like 70% of women do, and I probably won't be horribly mortified if it happens , but the thought makes me nervous. I'm pretty certain I didn't with DS, but it was a scheduled induction so I tried to make sure I was "cleaned out" before hand. She said she has had a a handful of patients over her 15 years that did and the smell was awful to the point she had to walk out of the room - THAT WOULD MORTIFY ME! Lol

aliciac2008 · May 2015

Does anyone know if they baby is able to break the water by moving around too much? LO was going bonkers last night and I really almost felt she was about to escape with the pain she kept putting on my cervix. I was slightly worried she was going to break my water, but then I realized I didn't even know if that was possible. Dr. Google wasn't much of a help. Anyone know? Or even have a guess?

klkonwi · May 2015

@lilitaliangirl I don't know where your sister works but I have a vastly different opinion. Most of our patients do not poop on the table. And if they do it is a tiny turd nugget....... Nothing like an entire shit. I have seen entire shits but it is so rare.
Plus this is the least of my worries because I'm going to be so worried about health of my baby and other things .......

@hoodoll82 my husband and I actually googled "why don't babies have bad breath" the other night......... Bahaha.

lilitaliangirl · May 2015

klkonwi said:
@lilitaliangirl I don't know where your sister works but I have a vastly different opinion. Most of our patients do not poop on the table. And if they do it is a tiny turd nugget....... Nothing like an entire shit. I have seen entire shits but it is so rare.
Plus this is the least of my worries because I'm going to be so worried about health of my baby and other things .......

@hoodoll82 my husband and I actually googled "why don't babies have bad breath" the other night......... Bahaha.

Obviously, delivering a healthy baby is my number one concern. But, I still don't want to poop where I know it's happening. Lol She works at one of the biggest/busiest L&D hospitals in the country (they average 35-40 babies a day! My delivery hospital average, like 3-6 a day, lol) so that is probably why she sees it more often.

lindsladle15 · May 2015

Interesting on the poop thing. I've heard/read that the majority of women do poop, and my DH and mom said I did, but I think it's (usually) such a normal happening, that the nurses just clean it up without (usually) a second glance or thought.

And that's what I'm going with!

virginiaunicorn11 · May 2015

@lilitaliangirl I had basically come to terms with the fact that I might poop on the table, and had moved on. When I registered at my hospital yesterday I learned water birth was an option and got so excited! I youtubed a few water births and the third one... There were floaters in the water when baby came out. It was obviously not even a video of me and I wanted. to. die.!!!
All the ladies were so calm and relaxed (even Floater Lady) that I am still going for it. But wow. I will not be putting a video on YouTube (or making a video, for that matter!).

lindsladle15 · May 2015

amark11 said:
@lilitaliangirl I had basically come to terms with the fact that I might poop on the table, and had moved on. When I registered at my hospital yesterday I learned water birth was an option and got so excited! I youtubed a few water births and the third one... There were floaters in the water when baby came out. It was obviously not even a video of me and I wanted. to. die.!!!
All the ladies were so calm and relaxed (even Floater Lady) that I am still going for it. But wow. I will not be putting a video on YouTube (or making a video, for that matter!).

Hahahahahahahaha!!! Floater lady!!
Poor gal.
My DH said he would absolutely never get in a tub with me if I chose a water birth, and probably would even have a very hard time being in the room with the various floating bodily secretions. I may labor in a tub for a while this time, though

upandbelow · May 2015

So here's my question! I bought nail clippers, and have also heard about mom's just biting their LO's nails off, but the nurse at my hospital said that there's a membrane attached the the nail so you're not supposed to trim them until they break off naturally. I don't want to question the medicine behind that, but has anyone had bad experiences trimming newborn's nails as a result of this membrane?

kissell · May 2015

klkonwi said:
@lilitaliangirl I don't know where your sister works but I have a vastly different opinion. Most of our patients do not poop on the table. And if they do it is a tiny turd nugget....... Nothing like an entire shit. I have seen entire shits but it is so rare.
Plus this is the least of my worries because I'm going to be so worried about health of my baby and other things .......

@hoodoll82 my husband and I actually googled "why don't babies have bad breath" the other night......... Bahaha.

Tiny turd nugget.... And you know...I have often wondered why babies don't have bad breath? What was your findings;)

KaLikeAWind · May 2015

upandbelow said:
So here's my question! I bought nail clippers, and have also heard about mom's just biting their LO's nails off, but the nurse at my hospital said that there's a membrane attached the the nail so you're not supposed to trim them until they break off naturally. I don't want to question the medicine behind that, but has anyone had bad experiences trimming newborn's nails as a result of this membrane?

I've heard this too. The nurses at my childbirth class said that if the nails are stupid long its better to file them down.

My question - related to the laundry thread... Of course I plan on washing all my blankets, sheets, clothes... Anything touching baby. But should I also wash the mattress protector? It IS washable, but its going to be underneath a sheet and not on the skin?

Also, since the ewok will be sleeping in the pack n play for a while, is the thin(ish) pad that came with it enough? Or should I buy a mattress specifically for the pack n play, too? (And thus, a mattress protector for THAT)

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FFFQ! Flame free questions answered! Mucus plugs? Dilation? Toothbrushes? No question too stupid!

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