@hreed7289 Thanks, interesting to read! That was pretty much my understanding and why we opted for a simple positively worded birth plan just going in knowing what we wanted and asking them to discuss procedures with us and try to use as few interventions as possible. I ended up being induced, so I already had deviated from my "plan."
Has any STM+ who had epidural, ever had any side effects? I'm hearing all these horror stories about paralysis and just want to know if anyone has actually ever had any serious complications?
Has any STM+ who had epidural, ever had any side effects? I'm hearing all these horror stories about paralysis and just want to know if anyone has actually ever had any serious complications?
I had one with my first, and honestly, felt everything through it (I had all back labor). I ended up with a c-section but didn't have any issues from my epidural. Pretty much all of my friends/family get an epidural, and none of them have had anything other than one cousin had the shakes after it was removed. But most of them had them removed and were up and moving a short time later.
Has any STM+ who had epidural, ever had any side effects? I'm hearing all these horror stories about paralysis and just want to know if anyone has actually ever had any serious complications?
Mine did not work properly because I had to be on my right side the whole time. So I felt everything on my left side. That, however, was no fault of the epi. I however did have pain in my back for at least a few months after the birth. The pain in my back was not intense but it was very localized and was definitely because of the epidural. All that to say I'm planning to still get an epi this time around.
@lf93 Everyone I know, myself included, have had no adverse effects. My FIL's wife scared her poor daughter to death about epidurals because someone's friend died from one. Total bullshit. My husband has even had one because he broke his back and was suffering with major pain issues. We're all alive and well.
Has any STM+ who had epidural, ever had any side effects? I'm hearing all these horror stories about paralysis and just want to know if anyone has actually ever had any serious complications?
I had one and everything went perfectly fine. I hate to admit that that I couldn't take the pain. My contractions were so bad I was puking every 5 minutes. Once that epidural came I knew it'd be easier.
Some people have problems but let's remember those can be rare. if you need it do it!
@LF93 no lasting epidural effects for me either. That thing was amazing. Also, sometimes you will hear it falls labor,which it might, but for me it did the opposite. I was stalled for a while and after it was placed I was able to progress, without pit, pretty steadily. Definitely going to not feel guilty about it if I end up requesting it again
A lady add in may just posted her epidural issue, but it essentially uncovered a tumor that she didn't know existed and the epidural exacerbated the pressure from the tumor making her unable to walk.
Can we talk boobs? I am worried about my breastfeeding prospects and want to see if any BTDT moms can reassure me. My boobs haven't grown AT ALL during this pregnancy. One of them will leak a very very very small amount of colostrum and the other does nothing at all. I am almost 32 weeks and expected more action by now. Anyone start out with duds that went on to be super boobs???
@blissylissy86 I'm 31 weeks and mine haven't grown either, and are also leaking just a tiny bit when I squeeze (pretty hard..). BUT I've been told it's all good and it'll come when it's needed. At least they're doing something?
A lady add in may just posted her epidural issue, but it essentially uncovered a tumor that she didn't know existed and the epidural exacerbated the pressure from the tumor making her unable to walk.
Can we talk boobs? I am worried about my breastfeeding prospects and want to see if any BTDT moms can reassure me. My boobs haven't grown AT ALL during this pregnancy. One of them will leak a very very very small amount of colostrum and the other does nothing at all. I am almost 32 weeks and expected more action by now. Anyone start out with duds that went on to be super boobs???
When you talk about your boobs being duds I just have to post this. But mine also are doing nothing.
@blissylissy86 I did not notice mine grow at all during pregnancy and I nursed DD for a full year. Just wait until your milk comes in after a few days and they will be like painful, swollen balloons until you adjust to what baby needs. Actually nursing did make them bigger. I tried to buy some nice regular bras when I was sad about weaning and DD was only nursing once or twice a day. A month later and those bras were totally huge. My boobs went flat. :-(
First time around I noticed only a little bit of growth but otherwise no action. I had mastitis within 6 days of giving birth and still successfully BF DS. You will be fine!
@blissylissy86 My boobs look like road maps right now with a the veins that popped up. Are you seeing more veins? Also my nips look a lot darker than they used to. If you're seeing stuff like that then I wouldn't be concerned about growth so much. If you are not seeing any changes at all in your breasts I would talk to your doc at your next appointment because I've heard that could be a sign of problems.
At our childbirth class Monday night, the nurses told us that they give you pitocin after birth to help your uterus contract back down. Is this standard? I always thought they just massaged your belly.
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@joleri23 From what I understand, yes, they usually do it without even mentioning it if you are already on an IV. I had a pitocin induced labor already, but they cranked it way up once DD was out.
@joleri23 in our class and from our Doctor, we were told they do it right after baby is born to speed up the delivery of the placenta and that they don't necessarily do it through an IV, they'll just give you a shot in the leg or somewhere. Just FYI, in case you're going to try for unmedicated, since it sounds like it's something you really have to make sure to tell them you don't want.
At our childbirth class Monday night, the nurses told us that they give you pitocin after birth to help your uterus contract back down. Is this standard? I always thought they just massaged your belly.
It is not standard at our hospital. I had heard about it and asked on our tour. As mentioned, they do it to speed up the delivery of the placenta. When I had my daughter it took 2 tiny pushes to get my placenta out, so I'm guessing that some women it must take a long time? I can't imagine needing to speed that up anymore, from my one experience. I'm an unmedicated birthing mama, so if it was standard at our hospital, I would be declining until it was absolutely medically necessary.
@joleri23 I had an IV already and it wasn't mentioned to me... however, I looked at my chart and saw that I was administered Pitocin. Although I was induced, I never received Pitocin until after the baby was born. Like others said, the purpose was to help contract the uterus back down. It didn't hurt (or I was distracted by being stitched up... haha) I live in a different state now, and will ask about this practice since I'll be delivering at a new hospital. To me, it sounds like Pitocin is more favorable than massage hell. :P
Thank you all for the responses! I know they administer an IV when you check in, just in case they have to use it later on in labor, so they said they would just give you Pitocin through that port. I'll ask them if it's absolutely necessary or not. I don't have strong feelings about it either way.
July BMB Siggy Challenge: Weird Hot Dog Situations
@blissylissy86 When I was pregnant with DD I went from a B cup to a C cup, and once I started BFing I went to a D. Once I got closer to the 1 year mark (when I was going to stop) and feedings/pumpings were less, I started going back down to a C, and once I stopped completely I was at a B again. This time around, I'm up to a C again, so I'm assuming I will be a D once I start BFing again.
@jlmartinez517 Re: the Petunia Pickle Bottom bags....check out their outlet website at www.petuniaoutlet.com. They sell their discontinued patterns for way cheaper. I had a JJ Cole bag with DD, and honestly for what I am planning on paying for a Sashay Satchel from PPB outlet is not much more than a JJ Cole bag. I did go to my local Nordstrom Rack that had a few PPB bags, so I could actually see them in person. For whatever reason, the actual Nordstrom in my area didn't have the PPB bags in the store, but the Rack had a few different styles.
My boobs didn't grown during my previous pregnancies. This is my third and they've grown a lot this time around. I had no trouble bf-ing because they only got huge when the baby was born and needed the milk.
At our childbirth class Monday night, the nurses told us that they give you pitocin after birth to help your uterus contract back down. Is this standard? I always thought they just massaged your belly.
I had pitocin after I delivered to help deliver the placenta. They told me it was standard.
@jlmartinez517 I never pre-made anything for the freezer! Those look pretty awesome (you know, as awesome as seventh-grade-sized pads can be.) I just layered tucks pads on top of the pad, then coated it in dermoplast. They had some ice pack pads at the hospital. I took some of those, too.
@jlmartinez517 I did not know anyone did that. Nice in theory, but not happening while taking care of a newborn here and I probably wouldn't bother ahead of time since I managed without before. I thought people just meant ice packs with pads while they are at the hospital.
Not sure if it's implied or not but pitocin is usually given after delivery to prevent hemorrhaging... So yes it's to helps the body expel the placenta, and makes the uterus shrink in size but also greatly reduces the chances of bleeding out... Which can happen quite quickly and sometimes isn't immediately obvious since the bleeding is internal.... I think it's become pretty common practice so if you're going med free or don't want this intervention I'd suggest doing some research into this and talking with your OB as well as the nurse team at your hospital... You may also want to make sure they know that you want to be informed if and when they do this. It can cause painful contractions but not unlike the contractions caused by breastfeeding as it's the body releasing oxytocin... Pitocin is the synthetic form of oxytocin but doesn't necessarily have the same effects in the body.
My sister told me that that second time around, your lady parts do not react as poorly to delivery and they recover much sooner. I remember being very tender and swollen for several days, thus needing the pads and TLC with witch hazel and the squirt bottle. She is adamant that it's like one or two days and it goes back to normal without much pain the second (third and fourth in her case) time. Anyone else experience this?
@jlmartinez517 good to know in case one needs it! With my 1st delivery, I didn't use anything except the squirt bottle when going to the bathroom and then ginormous pads. I purchased witch hazel and tucks and never used them.
@PinkLady2015@elenabrent As soon as I read this, I remembered this is what they said during class! I forgot that it also helps with bleeding. That seems much more important to me than just using it to expel the placenta and shrink the uterus.
July BMB Siggy Challenge: Weird Hot Dog Situations
I had pitocen during labor, none after. I'm guessing it's something that is up to the hospital as other ladies have mentioned.
Definitely invest in some jumbo pads and tucks for PP recovery. My hospital gave me Dermoplast which I also took home with me. That stuff was amazing - I'm probably going to buy more in case I run out.
Another handy item, Lansinoh makes these freezable gel pads - I sent MH out for them when my milk started coming in and they were a life saver. I'm going to order more, as well.
The hospital sent me home with some medicated foam and this amazing spray called Dermoplast. They told me to alternate between the two for bathroom visits to help with the soreness and healing. Witchcraft, I tell you. I think you can get the spray on amazon. Also, a peri bottle filled with warm water for the first few days helped me so much. I never premade any pad-sicles.
"The cleaning, the scrubbing will wait til tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
A lady add in may just posted her epidural issue, but it essentially uncovered a tumor that she didn't know existed and the epidural exacerbated the pressure from the tumor making her unable to walk.
Can we talk boobs? I am worried about my breastfeeding prospects and want to see if any BTDT moms can reassure me. My boobs haven't grown AT ALL during this pregnancy. One of them will leak a very very very small amount of colostrum and the other does nothing at all. I am almost 32 weeks and expected more action by now. Anyone start out with duds that went on to be super boobs???
i did!! I was pissed because I didn't get those "pregnancy boobs" that every talks about. Didn't actively leak anything prior to having DD, though if I squeezed a small amount would come out. I breastfed her for a year (even while pregnant with this one). It's totally plausible.
Re: Ask a BTDT mom questions about birth/recovery/breastfeeding
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DS#1 July 2016
Baby #2 July 2018
July BMB May Signature Challenge
Some people have problems but let's remember those can be rare.
Definitely going to not feel guilty about it if I end up requesting it again
A lady add in may just posted her epidural issue, but it essentially uncovered a tumor that she didn't know existed and the epidural exacerbated the pressure from the tumor making her unable to walk.
Can we talk boobs? I am worried about my breastfeeding prospects and want to see if any BTDT moms can reassure me. My boobs haven't grown AT ALL during this pregnancy. One of them will leak a very very very small amount of colostrum and the other does nothing at all. I am almost 32 weeks and expected more action by now. Anyone start out with duds that went on to be super boobs???
When you talk about your boobs being duds I just have to post this. But mine also are doing nothing.
@jlmartinez517 Re: the Petunia Pickle Bottom bags....check out their outlet website at www.petuniaoutlet.com. They sell their discontinued patterns for way cheaper. I had a JJ Cole bag with DD, and honestly for what I am planning on paying for a Sashay Satchel from PPB outlet is not much more than a JJ Cole bag. I did go to my local Nordstrom Rack that had a few PPB bags, so I could actually see them in person. For whatever reason, the actual Nordstrom in my area didn't have the PPB bags in the store, but the Rack had a few different styles.
I had no trouble bf-ing because they only got huge when the baby was born and needed the milk.
No- not standard... just belly massage!
@jlmartinez517 I never pre-made anything for the freezer! Those look pretty awesome (you know, as awesome as seventh-grade-sized pads can be.) I just layered tucks pads on top of the pad, then coated it in dermoplast. They had some ice pack pads at the hospital. I took some of those, too.
@jlmartinez517 good to know in case one needs it! With my 1st delivery, I didn't use anything except the squirt bottle when going to the bathroom and then ginormous pads. I purchased witch hazel and tucks and never used them.
@ladyfleck I hope that's true!
Definitely invest in some jumbo pads and tucks for PP recovery. My hospital gave me Dermoplast which I also took home with me. That stuff was amazing - I'm probably going to buy more in case I run out.
Another handy item, Lansinoh makes these freezable gel pads - I sent MH out for them when my milk started coming in and they were a life saver. I'm going to order more, as well.
DD #2: EDD July 2016
The hospital sent me home with some medicated foam and this amazing spray called Dermoplast. They told me to alternate between the two for bathroom visits to help with the soreness and healing. Witchcraft, I tell you. I think you can get the spray on amazon. Also, a peri bottle filled with warm water for the first few days helped me so much. I never premade any pad-sicles.
i did!! I was pissed because I didn't get those "pregnancy boobs" that every talks about. Didn't actively leak anything prior to having DD, though if I squeezed a small amount would come out. I breastfed her for a year (even while pregnant with this one). It's totally plausible.