@JennM205 Mine take about 30 minutes, but my OB is always amazed by how cooperative my boys are, so I think I'm the exception to the rule.
It does depend on the baby/babies and how well they do (they're looking to see their heart rates fluctuate appropriately, mainly, from what I understand), but I think 30 minutes is the minimum they monitor them for and 45-60 minutes isn't unusual at all.
@JennM205 I had one only, was told they're typically 20 minutes of monitoring unless baby isn't cooperative. Mine was 20 minutes and they did it at the office because of decreased movement. I had to go to L&D for decreased movement again (and a migraine) and it was the same thing, just took way longer because baby did not cooperate.
@JennM205 From what everyone else is saying, this clearly varies from practice to practice. Mine makes me stay hooked up for at least 20 minutes. They're looking for two heart rate accelerations. I've had some where we got two in the first 10 minutes, but still had to stay hooked up for the full 20. I've also had some where I stayed hooked up for half an hour because it took that long to get them.
Is it normal to lose weight near the end? I'm 37 weeks. I've lost 3 lbs since Saturday so now I'm under the recommended weight gain for my BMI I'm assuming baby is still growing and just stealing fat from me?
@RG1 - have you had any swelling recently? Last week I was up 2.5 pounds from Thursday to Tuesday which was all fluid retention in my ankles.. by Saturday I was down 3 pounds from Tuesday. Now I'm somewhere in between, tons of fluctuation. Make sure you're staying hydrated and I wouldn't be too concerned.
@rg1 I agree with AnnaS930, if you are hydrated and baby is moving and acting normally I wouldn't worry too much. I had lost weight at my 35 w appointment and am up net 1 lb in the last 4-5 weeks due to weight fluctuations. My doctor assured me that this was normal in the last trimester due to your stomach being squished, lack of appetite in the summer heat and said that baby would pull from fat stores as necessary.
@annas930 I haven't had any swelling (don't hate me everyone) but like @geminigirl16 says, I feel like my stomach is squished and I'm not eating very much. I have medication for heartburn but now Im having indigestion and can just feel food sitting there in my stomach for dayzzzz. It's disgusting. So maybe I'm not eating enough. I'll try and eat some more calorie dense things so I don't have to eat as frequently. Thanks for the reassurance!
@annas930 I haven't had any swelling (don't hate me everyone) but like @geminigirl16 says, I feel like my stomach is squished and I'm not eating very much. I have medication for heartburn but now Im having indigestion and can just feel food sitting there in my stomach for dayzzzz. It's disgusting. So maybe I'm not eating enough. I'll try and eat some more calorie dense things so I don't have to eat as frequently. Thanks for the reassurance!
This is me too as my appetite is pretty non existent these days. I bought a bunch of avocados for avocado toast and 10% milk fat plain yogurt to eat with fresh berries and granola. Oh yeah, and cheese! Yum!
@annas930 I haven't had any swelling (don't hate me everyone) but like @geminigirl16 says, I feel like my stomach is squished and I'm not eating very much. I have medication for heartburn but now Im having indigestion and can just feel food sitting there in my stomach for dayzzzz. It's disgusting. So maybe I'm not eating enough. I'll try and eat some more calorie dense things so I don't have to eat as frequently. Thanks for the reassurance!
Didn't you also have some coffee and a major poo? That could easily clean out a bit of weight. I still wouldn't worry about it.. My appetite has also been pretty low lately, just try to make the calories count like you said
@annas930 True... I keep having coffee to clear me out because I'm feeling so uncomfortable with the indigestion. Had another coffee this morning I totally could have had 5 lbs of poop in me last week haha
This reminded me of another awkward story. Last pregnancy, I had to go in for weight checks every 3 days in the beginning because I wasn't gaining weight. I'm like 99% positive I was, but the nurse that checked me in one time wrote the wrong weight down for my doctor. Anyway, one time, I went in right after lunch and had gained a pound, and then 3 days later I went first thing in the morning and had lost a pound. The nurse said something about losing a pound this time, and I said, "yeah, but last time I came, it was right after lunch", and she said, "so...you're saying you ate a pound of food?" And I said, "are you judging me??" Turns out she didn't have a sense of humor so I just looked at her because I couldn't move my eyes away.
Explain to me if baby is allegedly head down and most of the movements are on the sides and upper parts of my belly, what are the weird bouncing feelings on my freaking vagina? Or cervix of whatever.
It can be baby's hands bouncing above its head while you feel elbows on the side at the same time. Or it can just be elbows. I just picture baby doing "the wave".
@PSUBecky23 I have those, too! I'm guessing either arm stretches or the head bouncing down there as the baby pushes their legs into my ribs. Either way, not super pleasant.
@PSUBecky23 I have those, too! I'm guessing either arm stretches or the head bouncing down there as the baby pushes their legs into my ribs. Either way, not super pleasant.
Anybody know basics about protein in urine before I turn to dr Google and convince myself I'm dying? Normal for most of pregnancy, last couple have had trace amounts, yesterday's test had 30 mg/dl. I have another NST and appt with my doc Thursday.
Edit: bp has been fine, no excessive swelling, 35 weeks with twins
Anybody know basics about protein in urine before I turn to dr Google and convince myself I'm dying? Normal for most of pregnancy, last couple have had trace amounts, yesterday's test had 30 mg/dl. I have another NST and appt with my doc Thursday.
Edit: bp has been fine, no excessive swelling, 35 weeks with twins
Can be a sign of not eating often enough and/or poor water in take
For the STM and FTMs who have babies on the outside, what would you prefer? Given the choice, how many weeks would you want your SO home for immediately following birth? We are lucky enough to get 5 weeks paternity leave where I am and my fiancé's boss is willing to split the time between birth and later in the year.
That being said, my FI is getting a lot of advice to bank the majority of his time for later because "the baby only sleeps at he beginning". I have no idea what to expect, is it better to have him spend more at home in the beginning or wait a while for when the baby is a bit older? Thanks for weighing in / offering your thoughts
@geminigirl16 that's awesome that he has that option. My husband was home for two weeks when my daughter was born and that seemed like an adequate amount. I wouldn't have your FI do any less than that because even though newborns sleep a lot, you will be dealing with healing both physically and emotionally. Having him around to help, even if it's just to fetch you a glass of water while you're feeding baby, will be huge. I agree that if he can take some time off later, like when you go back to work (if that's the case), that would make that transition slightly easier.
@geminigirl16 my husband was home a week last maternity leave, and I expect about the same this time. I felt I was ok with that. But this time around with baby #3 he has a little more flexibility of going in late/coming home early to help with the older kiddos. Maybe have him keep options like that open if he can?
@marikkita12 I think sometimes nail polish can interfere with the readings from fingertip pulse oximeters since they work using light refraction. However, it's not really a big deal since the interference is generally not statistically significant. Get your nails done. If they need to- and they probably won't- they will remove the polish
Yesterday I was talking about getting a pedicure and my mom says that I can't have painted nails while in the hospital. Has anybody heard about this?
ps. Sorry if it's been asked, I can only keep up with one long thread so I stick with the randoms.
Get the pedicure. We almost never test your oxygen saturation on your toes, they're a last resort if we can't get a reading on your fingers or earlobes. For your fingers... well it depends on hospital policy. At the hospital I work at, if someone has nail polish on we are required to take the polish off at least 1-2 fingernails in order to have access for the pulse ox; I find this weird because like @cassloumy said, the difference between an unpolished and polished fingernail is ridiculously slight.
@geminigirl16 I would use two weeks and then save the rest of the time for after all your family has gone away and you're really "on your own"
The baby is not intellectually challenging on its own. Yes, they sleep. But making yourself a slice of toast becomes an intellectual challenge when you haven't slept for more than 2 hours at a time in a while. With my child at least, the first year got easier and easier. (To be fair, my newborn was a real piece of work.)
@marikkita12 Wow, I've never heard that one before. Last time I had a pedicure the day before I went into the hospital. I got a lot of compliments. Nothing bad happened.
@marikkita112 I agree with everyone else. I have heard of this policy, but my hospital didn't follow it. I had painted finger and toe nails, and they didn't so much as mention them. I plan to get a mani/pedi this weekend and go in for my induction in a week with painted nails again. So I say go for it!
@marikkita12 what everyone else has said haha. If you painted your fingernails, usually if you choose a light color, it won't be a problem. They may remove it anyway if the monitor isn't working, but NBD. Toes shouldn't be a problem in most cases.
Thanks for weighing in, I like the recommendation of banking some of that time for vacation / assistance later. Such a good idea especially with the horribly cold winters we get here. Plus I feel that after a couple weeks he might be ready to go back anyways. Your comments have confirmed that I think 2 weeks is the magic number for us for after birth.
@marikkita12 I think sometimes nail polish can interfere with the readings from fingertip pulse oximeters since they work using light refraction. However, it's not really a big deal since the interference is generally not statistically significant. Get your nails done. If they need to- and they probably won't- they will remove the polish
This!! I believe the issue is more with darker nail polish, like black, dark blue and brown. I'm planning on getting my nails done, well, really more hoping I end up going in soon after I do them since it's so unpredictable
I had never even heard of this nail polish thing before so thanks for bringing it up @marikkita12. I was headed to for a mani/pedi soon so will keep my color selection in mind. I wonder how they deal with shellac color nowadays?
Has anyone used the Medela quick steam bags for sterilizing pump parts, binkies, etc? Is it better or worse than boiling or hot soapy water?
I have some of the Medela steam bags, but I'm a FTM, so no experience yet. I plan to use them for daily sanitizing after the hot soapy wash to clean out the milk, but still do a proper boil sanitizing maybe once a week. Input from BTDT moms is greatly appreciated!
Also, I keep forgetting to ask my OB (thanks, baby-brain...), but how can you tell if your baby is anterior or posterior? I know you can tell head-down from breech by where the heartbeat is found and whether OB feels hard head or squishy butt, but I'm lost on being sunny-side-up.
@geminigirl16 a friend gave me some of those and I was wondering the same thing! She's a mother of 3 and she loves them.. She said you can use each one like 20 times too. Not sure if that's true?
Re: Quick questions August
It does depend on the baby/babies and how well they do (they're looking to see their heart rates fluctuate appropriately, mainly, from what I understand), but I think 30 minutes is the minimum they monitor them for and 45-60 minutes isn't unusual at all.
● IUI #2: BFP - early M/C
● IUI #3: BFN
● IUI #4: BFN
● IVF/FET #1 (2 transferred): BFP! TWINS!
● FET #2 (1 transferred): BFP! BOY #3!
● Natural #1: BFP - M/C @ 8 weeks
● Natural #2: BFP - M/C @ 5w5d
Edit: bp has been fine, no excessive swelling, 35 weeks with twins
That being said, my FI is getting a lot of advice to bank the majority of his time for later because "the baby only sleeps at he beginning". I have no idea what to expect, is it better to have him spend more at home in the beginning or wait a while for when the baby is a bit older? Thanks for weighing in / offering your thoughts
ps. Sorry if it's been asked, I can only keep up with one long thread so I stick with the randoms.
The baby is not intellectually challenging on its own. Yes, they sleep. But making yourself a slice of toast becomes an intellectual challenge when you haven't slept for more than 2 hours at a time in a while. With my child at least, the first year got easier and easier. (To be fair, my newborn was a real piece of work.)
Thanks for weighing in, I like the recommendation of banking some of that time for vacation / assistance later. Such a good idea especially with the horribly cold winters we get here. Plus I feel that after a couple weeks he might be ready to go back anyways. Your comments have confirmed that I think 2 weeks is the magic number for us for after birth.
Has anyone used the Medela quick steam bags for sterilizing pump parts, binkies, etc? Is it better or worse than boiling or hot soapy water?
Also, I keep forgetting to ask my OB (thanks, baby-brain...), but how can you tell if your baby is anterior or posterior? I know you can tell head-down from breech by where the heartbeat is found and whether OB feels hard head or squishy butt, but I'm lost on being sunny-side-up.