@pandappanderson I personally didn’t end up liking my nursing tanks because of the shelf bra in them, plus they didn’t grow well with my new giant melons that only got bigger the first couple weeks of breastfeeding. I wore some PJ tops that were deep V, stretchy, and unlined under my clothes and around the house almost exclusively the first three months PP (picture of one of them below, I got them from AdoreMe but any unlined tank with boob access works). I couldn’t wear a bra for a few months either because I had so many issue (mastitis, plugged ducts, constantly changing boob size, etc) so these tanks also helped contain the boobs without hurting them more. Once my boobs finally adjusted I could wear nursing bras, the soft no-wire ones were my favorite and I still basically only wear them now since my boobs never totally went back to their old size. Basically anything that was ‘tight’ near or on my chest was terrible, so actual nursing tanks just didn’t work for me.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
@pandappanderson I always lived in tank tops before so I invested in a lot of nursing tanks (my favorite are the jessica Simpson ones at motherhood... They have a way better built in bra and I could ditch the actual nursing bra for just one of those and it has a hook to go racer back and prop the girls up a little more when needed lol). I also plan on getting another nursing hoodie from latched mama. I have a light weight and a heavy one and I LOVE both. Other than that I have about 6 or so actual nursing tops but once you get use to the layering method the other girls mentioned I feel like you end up branching out to regular shirts with a tank. The only thing that I couldn't easily do that with are hoodies which is why I plan to treat myself to a new one in addition to my 2 (plus they have some super cute floral ones now)
I never bought nursing tanks or shirts. I feel the tanks are not practical for those of us already well endowed pre milk i did the stretchy tank under shirt. I would suggest 2-3 nursing bras. I could not wear and underwire when nursing it was too uncomfortable. I mostly wore really stretchy/ size too big sports bras at home
I always wore either nursing tanks (my favorite are from Target) or nursing bras with my previous two and plan to do the same this time. I recommend having 6-8 nursing bras, and maybe the same number of tanks, but no need to get the fancy, expensive bras. I found some fantastic, <$15 bras on Amazon. I have a few crossover styles for sleeping in, and the others are the clip type that look more like a traditional bra. I found that wearing a nursing bra made pumping easier because I could just unclip and wear the pumping bra over the nursing bra, rather than having to take a normal bra on and off. The tanks and the bras are bound to need washing pretty often, so I recommend having a decent supply.
I think I had about 5 tanks and 3 nursing bras. I liked the tanks better because they allowed for the breast size fluctuations. The bras I got thinking they were going to be big (bought much bigger than my normal size) did not end up being big enough and I would get clogged ducts from wearing them too often. The tanks worked perfectly for me. I would just put another shirt on top. The tank would come down and the other shirt would be over giving me some coverage. An added bonus was that the tank was tighter on the waist and would hold stuff in giving me a more flattering silhouette. This time, I am waiting to get the bras to see how big my breasts actually get, but I think I still will wear mostly the tanks.
The conversation on the hospital bag thread made me think of this, but didn’t want to take that thread totally off topic. Anyone who was induced the first time have any luck going into labor on their own in subsequent pregnancies? I really really hope to avoid being induced this time, but my mom had to be induced every time so I’m wondering if it’s just my fate and I should prepare for another induction. Obviously you never know what will happen, but just curious if it’s common to have very similar births each time or if they can be totally opposite!
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
Hey STMs+, I was listening to a podcast today about fear of giving birth and realized I don't actually know much about the process or the decisions along the way. Do you have any recommendations on resources? I know there are a number of methods, etc but I am also looking for like 101 information on giving birth.
@winnie1122 not exactly your situation but: baby#1 I went into labor on my own at 3 days early. Baby#2 I was induced with meds at 5 days over Baby #3 I went into labor on my own at 4 days early Baby #4 I was induced by them breaking my water at 12 days over
So yeah, every birth can be totally different
DD born Oct 2011 - DS#1 born Jan 2014 - DS#2 born Apr 2015 - DS#3 born Sept 2016 - LO#5 due Feb 7, 2018
The conversation on the hospital bag thread made me think of this, but didn’t want to take that thread totally off topic. Anyone who was induced the first time have any luck going into labor on their own in subsequent pregnancies? I really really hope to avoid being induced this time, but my mom had to be induced every time so I’m wondering if it’s just my fate and I should prepare for another induction. Obviously you never know what will happen, but just curious if it’s common to have very similar births each time or if they can be totally opposite!
I was induced with #3 & #4 but went into labor on my own for #1, #2, and #5. All labors can be vastly different. The only thing I've seen hold true is each subsequent labor is faster.
Hey STMs+, I was listening to a podcast today about fear of giving birth and realized I don't actually know much about the process or the decisions along the way. Do you have any recommendations on resources? I know there are a number of methods, etc but I am also looking for like 101 information on giving birth.
Are you asking about the mechanics or routine practices? The latter will differ in how labor progresses based on the approach to managing and observing the process. I really appreciate Hypnobabies as a resource on the mechanisms involved and the fear>tension>pain cycle and the body's response to stressors as a normal physiological response (when the things that cause stress are removed, labor can continue normally. It's the flight-or-fight response.) If you're curious about the mechanics and natural progression of the labor process, OFP (optimal fetal positioning) plays a vital role in how active labor progresses. These positions (not to be mistaken with presentation like breech and vertex) means baby is properly lined up in the pelvis and optimal positioning can facilitate dilation, effacement and engagement, and allow labor to naturally progress through each stage. Occiput anterior (OA) and left occiput anterior (LOA) are the optimal starting positions.
Labor can be harder and stall if baby is malpositioned as the largest presenting part is not properly aligned, thus causes contractions to stall or the baby to get stuck. Part of what facilitates contractions is a feedback mechanism. Oxytocin and the uterine muscle contracting, but if the head is unable to engage in the pelvis, this process is halted, and often results in being augmented with uterine stimulants to get labor going again. It's not that the uterus can't contract, it's that without proper positioning it's contracting, but otherwise ineffective because it can't move the malpositioned baby. No amount of uterine stimulants + being stuck in bed, lack of movement, is going to unstuck a baby. The stimulants often result in tiring out the uterus, as it's a muscle, and can lead to stress on the baby, thus resulting in "arrest of descent" and fetal distress leading to a c-section. Failure to progress often happens when labor is induced when baby is too high in the pelvis to make contractions effective and efficient. Constant pressure on the cervix, as the contractions move the baby down, which requires baby to be low enough in the pelvis to make contact with the cervix, is what allows for continued dilation and effacement.
I'll give you an example. I had severe polyhydramnios (excess amnio fluid) with #3. I had an irritable uterus due to it being overdistended (my fundus measured 12-15 weeks ahead. I was huge.) Due to the grossly excessive fluid, ds1 was just floating, however, I managed to get to 4 cm by 33 weeks due to the contractions, but I was only "soft," not effaced much, because baby's head needed to apply pressure to the cervix to facilitate effacement (thinning of the cervix). When I was later induced, my membranes were ruptured to allow my uterus to decompress and allow him to settle into my pelvis so that effacement could be achieved (was given pitocin to induce active labor). Once he was positioned in the pelvis labor progressed normally. Sitting too high in the pelvis, where the head can still be pushed up (ballotable), is not ideal for labor progressing smoothly. The Bishop score is calculated to determine how favorable a mom is for induction of labor. It factors in dilation, effacement and station (presenting part's position relative to the ischial spines -- how low in the pelvis).
Movement/ambulation/gravity is your friend (you can inquire about a walking epidural, but they're not commonplace in certain areas). It encourages optimal positioning and descent. Pressure on the cervix is a good thing. Uterine stimulants can result in a harder labor, especially if other factors aren't ideal (baby is malpositioned, OP, too high, stressors, etc.) They can overstimulate the uterus, and while pitocin is well-known for harder and longer labors, it can be the better option because the dose can be increased or decreased, or stopped entirely, whereas Misoprostol is ingested or applied vaginally, and there's no undoing it, lowering the dose, stopping it, if contractions become intolerable. AROM is more often than not the first step in attempting to induce labor, but it's not a sure thing, and usually requires a uterine stimulant. And like those, it can't be undone, so once membranes are ruptured, you're on a time clock to prevent infection. A lot of this is based on delivering at term. Delivering early, if inducing, can be a hit or miss since the body isn't in delivery preparation mode yet (baby descends, release of prostaglandins, etc.).
Anyhoo, I went on long enough. That's a week's worth of posts in one.
@winnie1122, I was induced with first pregnancy, and went into labor spontaneously with my second. Baby #1 was a scheduled induction at 41w1d. She was born about 10 hours after starting Pitocin. Water broke with Baby #2 at 38w. Since I was strep B+ (that time) and not having contractions, I was started on Pitocin again and gave birth about 6 hours later. I agree with @mamaof5already that they get faster each time!
Thanks for the info ladies! I would be pumped if I go into labor on my own and it’s faster the second time, my first I was induced when I was only 1cm and DS wasn’t born until 34 hours later. It was not the most comfortable 34 hours of my life, haha.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
Hey STMs+, I was listening to a podcast today about fear of giving birth and realized I don't actually know much about the process or the decisions along the way. Do you have any recommendations on resources? I know there are a number of methods, etc but I am also looking for like 101 information on giving birth.
Are you asking about the mechanics or routine practices? The latter will differ in how labor progresses based on the approach to managing and observing the process. I really appreciate Hypnobabies as a resource on the mechanisms involved and the fear>tension>pain cycle and the body's response to stressors as a normal physiological response (when the things that cause stress are removed, labor can continue normally. It's the flight-or-fight response.) If you're curious about the mechanics and natural progression of the labor process, OFP (optimal fetal positioning) plays a vital role in how active labor progresses. These positions (not to be mistaken with presentation like breech and vertex) means baby is properly lined up in the pelvis and optimal positioning can facilitate dilation, effacement and engagement, and allow labor to naturally progress through each stage. Occiput anterior (OA) and left occiput anterior (LOA) are the optimal starting positions.
Labor can be harder and stall if baby is malpositioned as the largest presenting part is not properly aligned, thus causes contractions to stall or the baby to get stuck. Part of what facilitates contractions is a feedback mechanism. Oxytocin and the uterine muscle contracting, but if the head is unable to engage in the pelvis, this process is halted, and often results in being augmented with uterine stimulants to get labor going again. It's not that the uterus can't contract, it's that without proper positioning it's contracting, but otherwise ineffective because it can't move the malpositioned baby. No amount of uterine stimulants + being stuck in bed, lack of movement, is going to unstuck a baby. The stimulants often result in tiring out the uterus, as it's a muscle, and can lead to stress on the baby, thus resulting in "arrest of descent" and fetal distress leading to a c-section. Failure to progress often happens when labor is induced when baby is too high in the pelvis to make contractions effective and efficient. Constant pressure on the cervix, as the contractions move the baby down, which requires baby to be low enough in the pelvis to make contact with the cervix, is what allows for continued dilation and effacement.
I'll give you an example. I had severe polyhydramnios (excess amnio fluid) with #3. I had an irritable uterus due to it being overdistended (my fundus measured 12-15 weeks ahead. I was huge.) Due to the grossly excessive fluid, ds1 was just floating, however, I managed to get to 4 cm by 33 weeks due to the contractions, but I was only "soft," not effaced much, because baby's head needed to apply pressure to the cervix to facilitate effacement (thinning of the cervix). When I was later induced, my membranes were ruptured to allow my uterus to decompress and allow him to settle into my pelvis so that effacement could be achieved (was given pitocin to induce active labor). Once he was positioned in the pelvis labor progressed normally. Sitting too high in the pelvis, where the head can still be pushed up (ballotable), is not ideal for labor progressing smoothly. The Bishop score is calculated to determine how favorable a mom is for induction of labor. It factors in dilation, effacement and station (presenting part's position relative to the ischial spines -- how low in the pelvis).
Movement/ambulation/gravity is your friend (you can inquire about a walking epidural, but they're not commonplace in certain areas). It encourages optimal positioning and descent. Pressure on the cervix is a good thing. Uterine stimulants can result in a harder labor, especially if other factors aren't ideal (baby is malpositioned, OP, too high, stressors, etc.) They can overstimulate the uterus, and while pitocin is well-known for harder and longer labors, it can be the better option because the dose can be increased or decreased, or stopped entirely, whereas Misoprostol is ingested or applied vaginally, and there's no undoing it, lowering the dose, stopping it, if contractions become intolerable. AROM is more often than not the first step in attempting to induce labor, but it's not a sure thing, and usually requires a uterine stimulant. And like those, it can't be undone, so once membranes are ruptured, you're on a time clock to prevent infection. A lot of this is based on delivering at term. Delivering early, if inducing, can be a hit or miss since the body isn't in delivery preparation mode yet (baby descends, release of prostaglandins, etc.).
Anyhoo, I went on long enough. That's a week's worth of posts in one.
For me understanding the science behind something helps me process, problem solve and stay calm. Not understanding causes me to be frustrated, and being asked to make decisions without understanding is hard for me, but I imagine there are a lot of situations in the birthing process that doesn't allow for long explanations. So hoping to go in with better understanding terms at least.
Will check out hypnobirthing and the links, if you think of any others send them over!
@ramzlau I found watching birth vlogs on YouTube before delivery my first time to be extremely helpful for knowing what kinds of scenarios to prepare for. There are a lot of people who daily vlog for a living and they do a great job documenting their experiences from the first sign of labor or beginning of CS or induction to the delivery and recovery (without being visually graphic thankfully). I felt very prepared and informed going in to my delivery even as a FTM because I had watched so many people’s experiences! We didn’t take any classes and DH was super clueless (though he was still an awesome support). I was really nervous about the epidural so I watched a bunch of those too and was able to be very calm during mine since I knew exactly what was happening behind my back!
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
Thoughts on this? I know you are not suppose to add things to the car seat, but how is this much different then your LO just wearing fleece? Curious if anyone knows something I don’t. Thank you!
@Starynightsky24 it's different because presumably you're baby would still have more layers of clothes on underneath this. I wouldn't use this as it hasn't been tested with the seat and a you know nothing is supposed to go behind the buckles. I also don't lawyer my kids in a bunch of fleece in the car seat either though. I would wear a simple long sleeve outfit or sleeper and tuck a blanket around them once buckled or get a car seat canopy that goes over the seat/straps. I should add that I am in Eastern Canada and it is very cold here and this has still worked just fine
DD born Oct 2011 - DS#1 born Jan 2014 - DS#2 born Apr 2015 - DS#3 born Sept 2016 - LO#5 due Feb 7, 2018
@Starynightsky24 clothes are attached to your baby whereas an insert like this is attached to the seat. In a collision aftermarket products such as these can shift or bunch and change the way baby is positioned in the seat. The biggest concern would be it bunching behind baby's neck and restricting ability to breathe. Also many of these products are not flame restitant. Regular blankets over top the buckles are a great option and if you're looking for a cover the shower cap style ones are the best option -CPST
DS and DD are both August babies so I never worried about the cold as newborns. I guess I’m over thinking it... it’ll just use a blanket then. Thank you!
DS and DD are both August babies so I never worried about the cold as newborns. I guess I’m over thinking it... it’ll just use a blanket then. Thank you!
This is what we used, it is a "Cozy Carseat Cover" and like PP mentioned it goes on like a shower cap for the car seat. The outer shell is waterproof, there is a flap for baby's face (keep cold/wind/snow/rain out), and it unzips so you don't have to take it off every time you get baby out. This was a must have during the winter for us and eliminated the need for lots of blankets/clothes in the car seat.
@magnolia305 I personally would not purchase that. Especially if you already have a swing/rock n play/bouncer chair. But I would not let LO sleep in that, and it seems similar to just propping baby on a pillow or boppy pillow?
@Starynightsky24 I wouldn't let him sleep in it for sure--it doesn't look breathable at all. I already have a rock n play for during the day. It just seems like it would take up space. When looking online, the most recent information that comes up is from 2014?
@magnolia305 those were rated really unsafe and I’m surprised they still sell them. All the dangers came out after 2014 because when I had DS in 2014 that was the “in” thing to buy and then babies suffered or passed away from it for multiple reasons other than sleeping in it.
For those planning to do the hospital newborn pictures- are you planning to include the older sibling(s)? I so badly wanted to include DS with DD but the schedule of when they wanted to stop by never worked out. Curious how others are planning to handle it.
@Starynightsky24 I've never done siblings in the newborn hospital shoot, but I also use the photographers the hospital has. If you are doing a private photographer, it may be possible to schedule with siblings.
This could be a long shot question but.... Has anyone had a med free birth as well as a pitocin birth also without pain meds? I'm just curious as to how much of a difference it made.
This could be a long shot question but.... Has anyone had a med free birth as well as a pitocin birth also without pain meds? I'm just curious as to how much of a difference it made.
Yep. I've had both. 2 pitocin induced births and 3 natural births. All without pain meds. The pitocin ones i remember as being horrible, way more painful, i think msybe because the meds are forcing you to contact? Where the uninduced birth your body is ready for it.
@the_other_mother my mother did and she explained it as naturally going is a gradual build up and with pitocin it just skips all that gradual build up and goes straight to the serious ones that hurt more. If you can avoid pitocin natural no pain meds was more bearable to her, but then again she was induced with me (her 2nd) and she literally went from nothing to having me in about an hour max which is faster than most women have with non-induced labor.... hopefully my slightly sleepy ramblings are helpful lol.
Thanks @mamaof5already and @ahoneycutt12. That makes sense and totally helps. I'm really hoping to go into labor naturally this time and that it will be much more bearable. I'm not sure I can do it again if I'm induced. I'd love to have a much calmer environment with this birth. My first was kind of chaotic and extremely painful.
Question for any Mom's whose toddlers have ever had ear tubes! I have a 2 year old getting tubes at the end of the month and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice! How did you bath them? Did they wear ear plugs, the head band etc. When did you take them swimming again? How long after did the tubes fall out? Thanks in advance!
Question for any Mom's whose toddlers have ever had ear tubes! I have a 2 year old getting tubes at the end of the month and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice! How did you bath them? Did they wear ear plugs, the head band etc. When did you take them swimming again? How long after did the tubes fall out? Thanks in advance!
We only use ear plugs kid he swims in a lake/ocean etc(water that is not treated). Our ent said he didn't need them for baths, showers, pool swimming etc. The tubes helped him so much. He got them in may and still has them in. We use the moldable ear plugs from cvs.
Question for any Mom's whose toddlers have ever had ear tubes! I have a 2 year old getting tubes at the end of the month and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice! How did you bath them? Did they wear ear plugs, the head band etc. When did you take them swimming again? How long after did the tubes fall out? Thanks in advance!
DD got ear tubes right after her first birthday this past March. She had chronic ear infections every 4-6 weeks for 6 months before that. The tubes were a life changer. Not a single infection since. We just had her 6 month follow-up with the ENT, and they're still in.
Our ENT also said plugs were only necessary in untreated water. He did say that some kids with tubes are more sensitive to water being in their ears and if it really bothers them ear plugs will help. Water in her ears did bother DD, so I tried plugging her ears when she had swim lessons, with cotton balls and a headband (DD was a year younger than your LO so the ENT recommended that over the plugs because of her age). She would just rip them out right away. The ENT assured me there was no danger in the treated water, so she just had to learn to deal with it in the pool since she wouldn't keep in the plugs. In the bath, DH and I just wash her hair before we fill up the tub since she hates having her ears submerged.
Good luck with your LO's surgery at the end of the month. I remember I was so nervous the day of, and when they carried her away for surgery it was so hard. But it is a really fast surgery, like 15 min, and I'm so, so glad we did it. Like I said, such a life changer. I'll keep you and your LO in my thoughts. Be sure to update us after to let us know how it goes.
Question for any Mom's whose toddlers have ever had ear tubes! I have a 2 year old getting tubes at the end of the month and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice! How did you bath them? Did they wear ear plugs, the head band etc. When did you take them swimming again? How long after did the tubes fall out? Thanks in advance!
My 3 year old has had them since he was 4.5 months old. He is on his 2nd set in the right ear (had to replace it last year at 2 years old), but the left ear is still his original tube. We don't use ear plugs yet because the only untreated water he goes in is the ocean and he doesn't go in deep enough to get his ears. Once he does, we'll need to use plugs.
I think when he gets older and swims under water for extended depths or duration he will also need plugs for treated or untreated water.
I don't recall there being a water restriction post-op. You will have ear drops to do and a follow-up visit. It's fairly quick procedure. We did it outpatient at a Surgery Center and could leave as soon as he was up and eating/drinking.
@neener*neener*, @precious88, @3plus1equals4 Thank you for sharing your experiences! I didn't know If the soapy water would be a problem when I wash his hair in the bath! Glad to hear It won't be a problem! He said had about 11 ear infections in the past 18 months so I really hope this helps! It will be tough to let them take him but it is a short surgery so I won't have to wait too long to hear how It went!
@neener*neener*, @precious88, @3plus1equals4 Thank you for sharing your experiences! I didn't know If the soapy water would be a problem when I wash his hair in the bath! Glad to hear It won't be a problem! He said had about 11 ear infections in the past 18 months so I really hope this helps! It will be tough to let them take him but it is a short surgery so I won't have to wait too long to hear how It went!
The soapy water will likely be a problem as the soap can sting, especially if it's not too long post op. We were told it was ok if water got in but be careful to not let soapy water get in because it hurts. DS3 got them put in at 7 months. He is going in a couple weeks to get them checked but based on the fact he can still hear me I know the tubes are still in (DS has them for hearing issues)
DD born Oct 2011 - DS#1 born Jan 2014 - DS#2 born Apr 2015 - DS#3 born Sept 2016 - LO#5 due Feb 7, 2018
@3plus1equals4 this probably sounds sounds stupid but the run off water from washing his hair doesn't irritate them? We've washed his hair under faucet running. We might have to change it to a cup to be safer!
Re: Do you have any questions for STM+(s)?
i did the stretchy tank under shirt. I would suggest 2-3 nursing bras. I could not wear and underwire when nursing it was too uncomfortable. I mostly wore really stretchy/ size too big sports bras at home
I always wore either nursing tanks (my favorite are from Target) or nursing bras with my previous two and plan to do the same this time. I recommend having 6-8 nursing bras, and maybe the same number of tanks, but no need to get the fancy, expensive bras. I found some fantastic, <$15 bras on Amazon. I have a few crossover styles for sleeping in, and the others are the clip type that look more like a traditional bra. I found that wearing a nursing bra made pumping easier because I could just unclip and wear the pumping bra over the nursing bra, rather than having to take a normal bra on and off. The tanks and the bras are bound to need washing pretty often, so I recommend having a decent supply.
baby#1 I went into labor on my own at 3 days early.
Baby#2 I was induced with meds at 5 days over
Baby #3 I went into labor on my own at 4 days early
Baby #4 I was induced by them breaking my water at 12 days over
So yeah, every birth can be totally different
older siblings: ds 16 dd 14 ds 13 dd 11 dd 7
Labor can be harder and stall if baby is malpositioned as the largest presenting part is not properly aligned, thus causes contractions to stall or the baby to get stuck. Part of what facilitates contractions is a feedback mechanism. Oxytocin and the uterine muscle contracting, but if the head is unable to engage in the pelvis, this process is halted, and often results in being augmented with uterine stimulants to get labor going again. It's not that the uterus can't contract, it's that without proper positioning it's contracting, but otherwise ineffective because it can't move the malpositioned baby. No amount of uterine stimulants + being stuck in bed, lack of movement, is going to unstuck a baby. The stimulants often result in tiring out the uterus, as it's a muscle, and can lead to stress on the baby, thus resulting in "arrest of descent" and fetal distress leading to a c-section. Failure to progress often happens when labor is induced when baby is too high in the pelvis to make contractions effective and efficient. Constant pressure on the cervix, as the contractions move the baby down, which requires baby to be low enough in the pelvis to make contact with the cervix, is what allows for continued dilation and effacement.
I'll give you an example. I had severe polyhydramnios (excess amnio fluid) with #3. I had an irritable uterus due to it being overdistended (my fundus measured 12-15 weeks ahead. I was huge.) Due to the grossly excessive fluid, ds1 was just floating, however, I managed to get to 4 cm by 33 weeks due to the contractions, but I was only "soft," not effaced much, because baby's head needed to apply pressure to the cervix to facilitate effacement (thinning of the cervix). When I was later induced, my membranes were ruptured to allow my uterus to decompress and allow him to settle into my pelvis so that effacement could be achieved (was given pitocin to induce active labor). Once he was positioned in the pelvis labor progressed normally. Sitting too high in the pelvis, where the head can still be pushed up (ballotable), is not ideal for labor progressing smoothly. The Bishop score is calculated to determine how favorable a mom is for induction of labor. It factors in dilation, effacement and station (presenting part's position relative to the ischial spines -- how low in the pelvis).
Movement/ambulation/gravity is your friend (you can inquire about a walking epidural, but they're not commonplace in certain areas). It encourages optimal positioning and descent. Pressure on the cervix is a good thing. Uterine stimulants can result in a harder labor, especially if other factors aren't ideal (baby is malpositioned, OP, too high, stressors, etc.) They can overstimulate the uterus, and while pitocin is well-known for harder and longer labors, it can be the better option because the dose can be increased or decreased, or stopped entirely, whereas Misoprostol is ingested or applied vaginally, and there's no undoing it, lowering the dose, stopping it, if contractions become intolerable. AROM is more often than not the first step in attempting to induce labor, but it's not a sure thing, and usually requires a uterine stimulant. And like those, it can't be undone, so once membranes are ruptured, you're on a time clock to prevent infection. A lot of this is based on delivering at term. Delivering early, if inducing, can be a hit or miss since the body isn't in delivery preparation mode yet (baby descends, release of prostaglandins, etc.).
Anyhoo, I went on long enough. That's a week's worth of posts in one.
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/
https://spinningbabies.com/
For me understanding the science behind something helps me process, problem solve and stay calm. Not understanding causes me to be frustrated, and being asked to make decisions without understanding is hard for me, but I imagine there are a lot of situations in the birthing process that doesn't allow for long explanations. So hoping to go in with better understanding terms at least.
Will check out hypnobirthing and the links, if you think of any others send them over!
Thank you!
I would wear a simple long sleeve outfit or sleeper and tuck a blanket around them once buckled or get a car seat canopy that goes over the seat/straps. I should add that I am in Eastern Canada and it is very cold here and this has still worked just fine
DS and DD are both August babies so I never worried about the cold as newborns. I guess I’m over thinking it... it’ll just use a blanket then. Thank you!
This is what we used, it is a "Cozy Carseat Cover" and like PP mentioned it goes on like a shower cap for the car seat. The outer shell is waterproof, there is a flap for baby's face (keep cold/wind/snow/rain out), and it unzips so you don't have to take it off every time you get baby out. This was a must have during the winter for us and eliminated the need for lots of blankets/clothes in the car seat.
Edited to try to correct the tag, I don't think it worked though. Stupid phone.
https://www.toysrus.com/buy/baby-positioners-seats/dex-baby-daydreamer-infant-sleeper-seat-sage-dd-grn-29311736
Eta: words so I can make sense lol
older siblings: ds 16 dd 14 ds 13 dd 11 dd 7
Our ENT also said plugs were only necessary in untreated water. He did say that some kids with tubes are more sensitive to water being in their ears and if it really bothers them ear plugs will help. Water in her ears did bother DD, so I tried plugging her ears when she had swim lessons, with cotton balls and a headband (DD was a year younger than your LO so the ENT recommended that over the plugs because of her age). She would just rip them out right away. The ENT assured me there was no danger in the treated water, so she just had to learn to deal with it in the pool since she wouldn't keep in the plugs. In the bath, DH and I just wash her hair before we fill up the tub since she hates having her ears submerged.
Good luck with your LO's surgery at the end of the month. I remember I was so nervous the day of, and when they carried her away for surgery it was so hard. But it is a really fast surgery, like 15 min, and I'm so, so glad we did it. Like I said, such a life changer. I'll keep you and your LO in my thoughts. Be sure to update us after to let us know how it goes.
I think when he gets older and swims under water for extended depths or duration he will also need plugs for treated or untreated water.
I don't recall there being a water restriction post-op. You will have ear drops to do and a follow-up visit. It's fairly quick procedure. We did it outpatient at a Surgery Center and could leave as soon as he was up and eating/drinking.
It will be tough to let them take him but it is a short surgery so I won't have to wait too long to hear how It went!