@DanyTargaryen My concern is my platelets have dropped 45% in 5 months, so while I'm just a little low now, I'm worried about the trajectory. Thanks for letting me know about your online friend though, hopefully it's not a big deal over here either and we can get them to even out! @klj0228 I do have an online portal, which is how I'm getting my test results. My OB is great about reviewing the results within 24 hours and commenting. I'm trying not to bug her since she'll get to it when she has time. I did just learn I failed the 1 hour GTT (or as my coworkers were calling it yesterday, the "can you go to the buffet" test), so I have a feeling I'll be talking to her soon. Thanks everyone!
@Patience7150 I had slightly low platelets last pregnancy, and do again this time! Both times found when they did the 1 hour GD screening test. Last time they checked them again later in pregnancy, and then again at the hospital. I don’t think they affected my delivery, but they definitely never dropped they just stayed a little low. I think they maybe checked them again post-partum.
My joints have gotten worse. My wrists feel like they’re both sprained, my thumbs and fingers can barely move. Wtf. I brought an ice pack to work and I’m alternating but it’s hard to do work with an ice pack on my hand! I have my appt later today so I’ll ask the doctor is there is some magical vitamin or supplement that will fix all my pain.
@ashh2018 you’ve probably mentioned this, but I can’t remember. Are you wearing wrist braces at all? Last pregnancy I had to wear them all day at work and while I slept. It was super annoying but helped a lot with the pain
@nackie I have one that I’ve been wearing at night, I guess I need to get one for the other wrist. My thumbs are the worst, DH pointed out that it’s probably from using my phone too much I need a full body brace. All my joints hurt but my wrists/hands are def the worst.
@Patience7150 my platelets were low in my last pregnancy. I’ve been told there’s nothing you can do to prevent it or stop it from getting lower. For me what it meant was no option of an epidural during labor, and they watched me closely after birth for excessive bleeding. I had some of that and needed a few stitches. During my third trimester I met with a hemotologist a couple of times, and once after birth to test my levels and make sure they came back up. After birth the levels went very low and looking back I probably would have been better off to stay in the hospital an extra day, but they gave me the option to go home within 24 hours of giving birth and I took it!
I had had a hard time knowing I couldn’t have the option of the epidural at first. I’d been planning on giving birth without one, but not even having the option was hard to wrap my mind around. I found that during labor I was able to focus on one contraction at a time and my mind wasn’t distracted thinking about what could make it feel less intense.
Hopefully you’ll end up still having all of the options out there, but if not make sure to talk with your doctor about alternative options for pain management. I hope this helps!
Thank you @arbell615 and @MandyMost! not a single test from yesterday came back normal, so first things first are the 3 hour test and getting my iron up. A girl from my former bmb also mentioned getting a bad poke can drastically change platelet count, which we did have a bad poke and my blood was barely flowing. I am going to mention this and just ask to repeat it at my next ob visit!
@Patience7150 - Mine were checked as part of the CBC done with my glucose test, and they were lower than last time I had them checked (non-pregnant, about 10 months ago), by almost 25%, but still within "normal" range. Keep in mind that for many blood-related numbers, it's typical for them to be lower in pregnancy because blood volume increases so much but not all of the "pieces" of blood increase together if that makes sense. But I don't know how that affects platelet numbers exactly.
Having too few platelets makes it harder for your blood to clot, so depending on how low it gets your doctor should have a plan in place in case you have excess bleeding at delivery or if you need a c-section, and as mentioned above it could also mean they determine an epidural is too risky. I have a mild clotting issue already, so I'm getting ready to talk to my OB about similar stuff.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I know I’m complaining a lot and I’m sorry, but I think the pregnancy karma gods have come for me lol. I had no morning sickness, was totally comfortable throughout my second trimester, and now everything hurts and I can’t stop crying LOL. My wrists/hands are getting so much worse, icing and braces aren’t helping at all. My back and stomach are so sore, but every time I try to adjust my position on the couch or in bed I just hurt my wrists more. It’s a vicious cycle haha. I’m tempted to take Tylenol but I know it probably won’t help and won’t be worth it.
@ashh2018 no need to apologize for complaining about the sucky parts of pregnancy. Being pregnant can be really hard on a body!!! My hands and wrists are fine but my pelvis feeling like it's breaking in half is pure torture. My back and belly feel like heck too. I can't figure out a way to get comfortable at night and I'm not even in the 3rd tri yet, so I'm pretty terrified of where this is going. Tylenol does help me but I don't want to take it every night so I do 2 nights with it and then 2-3 nights without. So far lately it seems the longest I've made it without taking Tylenol is 4 nights.
I don't know if it'll help you any, but when the pain (nausea, fatigue, hormones, whatever) got really bad last time, looking at pictures of babies or baby clothes helped me kinda visualize and focus on the end game- the baby- and it helped give the pain reason which made it a little less bad for me. I think it's easier to deal with the pain this time because now I know that it IS all worth it. That I can survive, that the pain does go away and that it really actually is worth it. This time when it gets too bad I look at baby pictures of my son and that helps get me back in a good headspace. I have this like 5 second video of him laughing when he was maybe 3 months old. That video when played on repeat has the power to save me on the dark days. Maybe you can find some YouTube videos of babies laughing? Endorphins and the other various feel good hormones really do lessen pain a bit. Tylenol and laughing YouTube babies might just take the edge off enough to get you through the next bit.
@ashh2018 pregnancy is not all fun and enjoyable and you should not feel bad for complaining about the crappy parts. What better place to complain about the bad parts of pregnancy than in a group of pregnant women where it is highly likely at least one other person feels your pain?! Please keep coming here to complain! We all want to support each other. As for the pain, I am just now getting to that point myself and I’m not in the third trimester yet so I have no great ideas to help. @stothi recommendation to watch baby videos does sound like a good idea though!
I woke up this morning with sore fingers and toes. I probably did too much yesterday, but it also shows me that I really need to get as much done as I can now to prepare for baby. I don’t want to be overdoing it once I do hit third trimester.
Thank you @klj0228 and @stothi. I think last night was just too much for me. Looking at baby stuff is a GREAT idea! I’ll wake up and not be able to fall back asleep, and feel mentally trapped in whatever anxiety dream I was having. Last week I had a work dream and I was physically trapped in a spreadsheet lol, fifteen minutes after I woke up I realized I was sitting in bed STILL trying to figure out my calculations. Redirecting into something that will make me feel good, and like you said will remind me of the purpose of being strong, will be a big help I think!
+1 to the demoralizing feelings of pregnancy. I was just thinking last night about how uncomfortable I’m feeling and how that’s making me feel detached from the pregnancy.
I had about 6 weeks of feeling decent so far. I do feel better when I sit in the rocking chair in the nursery. Partly because it’s hella comfy and partly because it helps me focus on what it is I’m doing.
@adirat yes to the hurting feet. I too fully expected it towards the end of the day or on a particularly busy day, but I thought I would get up in the morning and be recharged. Nope, I limp through my house until everything loosens a little bit.
@ashh2018 have you tried icing your hands before bed? I experienced the same last time and had effectively arthritis the entire third tri, and I think that helped a little...
Sorry I can't be more help. I agree with stothi that knowing how quickly everything starts to feel better post partum has really helped me this pregnancy, but I hate to say "take my word for it" because you don't know what your experience will be. Pregnancy isn't easy, and don't feel that you need to enjoy every minute. I kind of equate this phase to the second period of a hockey game...that initial excitement has worn off, you're starting to feel crappy again, but you're too far from the end to get excited. It's a rough phase. Maybe find a good, non baby, non pregnancy related book to distract you with a hobby that doesn't require the use of your hands?
@klj0228 @adirat. That sounds like plantar fasciitis. I have started wearing more supportive shoes, plus doing stretches in bed before putting weight down in the morning (point and flex toes 10x, ankle circles etc.) And mine has gotten a lot better. But I actually notice it worsens on the weekend, bc I'm just in slippers or flats all day, instead of my work shoes. :/
Re: Iron. My doc didn't actually tell me to start supplementing, but the nurse said it would be fine, since it was just borderline on the low side. She recommended taking it at bedtime with orange juice, and while I've only taken it once so far, (I plan to take it MWF only, since it's not that low, and the pharmacist recommended alternate nights, over splitting the pill), and I didn't have any trouble. I have the Slow Fe brand, ($9 For 30 tabs, in a white box), and it says it's 45 mg elemental iron, or 142 mg ferrous sulfate equivalent. Neat! (I hadn't actually looked that close yet.)
Now, I do find this interesting because I wonder if the ranges the nurse quoted me when I called were the non-pregnant or pregnant ones! One of my numbers was 11.1, and she said they want it over 11.7, but to me, that seems closer to the non-pregnant lower limit of 12. <div class=" Quote"><img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/nv/p2kx8eu81pdh.jpg" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/nv/p2kx8eu81pdh.jpg"></div>https://healthybabycode.com/5-myths-about-pregnancy-nutrition-2-all-women-should-take-iron-during-pregnancy
As for hematocrit: <div class=" Quote"><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/v7/6kf3drghhmuu.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/v7/6kf3drghhmuu.jpg"></div>https://www.babymed.com/laboratory-values/hematocrit-whole-blood-during-pregnancy
I feel like this confirms for me that she was giving me non-pregnant ranges, and hence why I didn't get a call from the doctor. Mine was 34.4, and she told me they wanted at least 35.0, but really for 3rd tri, this gives a range with a lower limit 28. So... yeah. I may have just kinda wasted my money. Lol
@starla. Yeah, I think so!? That's what it says on the app icon anyway. But I feel like it listed something extra in the ap store... "Pregnancy Week by Week." <div class="Spoiler"><img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/oa/iplrjctsa2q0.jpg"></div>
Anyone else getting a weird clicking or popping sound on occasion, usually coinciding with baby's movement? It's so weird. DH hasn't heard it yet, but I'm hoping he will soon cos I think he thinks I'm crazy! Lol
Also, I could swear I felt baby dreaming last week. You know how sometimes when your dog is sleeping, it will twitch and fake-run etc.? In REM sleep? It felt like my baby was having a little puppy dream, running through a field or something! It was so weird.
@BusinessWife yes I get the popping/clicking sound with movement as well! I think I've read that it's like a gas bubble or something. Totally strange. And yup, baby girl busts some moves at times for me too haha.
@BusinessWife I had a little insomnia last night and started wondering if babies dream and googled it. And yes! They dream and are conscious and aware. Their world is tiny just what they hear and can feel through their explorations of our bodies and that is what they most likely dream about. All this according to google.
@BusinessWife I had that later on with DS. It is so bizarre. DH never really heard it like I did, so I wonder if part of the clickin is the sensation in addition to the sound.
@Patience7150 the hockey analogy is perfect! I’ve been icing them at night, I think if I do it more regularly and stick to it that it may make more of a difference, thanks!
@MandyMost - I have days where I suddenly feel very fatigued, with no noticeable reason - not a super busy day the day before, bad night's sleep, or less food/water than usual or anything. But there are a lot of reasons you can feel extra tired, so maybe it's just some combination of smaller things? Rest up if you can! When I can't, I try to think of it as practicing for the days ahead when I'm going to be very tired and don't want to keep going with whatever needs to be done.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
Re: 6/18 Symptoms and Questions
I had had a hard time knowing I couldn’t have the option of the epidural at first. I’d been planning on giving birth without one, but not even having the option was hard to wrap my mind around. I found that during labor I was able to focus on one contraction at a time and my mind wasn’t distracted thinking about what could make it feel less intense.
Hopefully you’ll end up still having all of the options out there, but if not make sure to talk with your doctor about alternative options for pain management. I hope this helps!
Having too few platelets makes it harder for your blood to clot, so depending on how low it gets your doctor should have a plan in place in case you have excess bleeding at delivery or if you need a c-section, and as mentioned above it could also mean they determine an epidural is too risky. I have a mild clotting issue already, so I'm getting ready to talk to my OB about similar stuff.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I don't know if it'll help you any, but when the pain (nausea, fatigue, hormones, whatever) got really bad last time, looking at pictures of babies or baby clothes helped me kinda visualize and focus on the end game- the baby- and it helped give the pain reason which made it a little less bad for me. I think it's easier to deal with the pain this time because now I know that it IS all worth it. That I can survive, that the pain does go away and that it really actually is worth it. This time when it gets too bad I look at baby pictures of my son and that helps get me back in a good headspace. I have this like 5 second video of him laughing when he was maybe 3 months old. That video when played on repeat has the power to save me on the dark days. Maybe you can find some YouTube videos of babies laughing? Endorphins and the other various feel good hormones really do lessen pain a bit. Tylenol and laughing YouTube babies might just take the edge off enough to get you through the next bit.
I woke up this morning with sore fingers and toes. I probably did too much yesterday, but it also shows me that I really need to get as much done as I can now to prepare for baby. I don’t want to be overdoing it once I do hit third trimester.
My feet hurt when I wake up in the morning. I really expected evening foot pain but when I wake up and get out of bed? Ugh.
I had about 6 weeks of feeling decent so far. I do feel better when I sit in the rocking chair in the nursery. Partly because it’s hella comfy and partly because it helps me focus on what it is I’m doing.
Sorry I can't be more help. I agree with stothi that knowing how quickly everything starts to feel better post partum has really helped me this pregnancy, but I hate to say "take my word for it" because you don't know what your experience will be. Pregnancy isn't easy, and don't feel that you need to enjoy every minute. I kind of equate this phase to the second period of a hockey game...that initial excitement has worn off, you're starting to feel crappy again, but you're too far from the end to get excited. It's a rough phase. Maybe find a good, non baby, non pregnancy related book to distract you with a hobby that doesn't require the use of your hands?
Re: Iron. My doc didn't actually tell me to start supplementing, but the nurse said it would be fine, since it was just borderline on the low side. She recommended taking it at bedtime with orange juice, and while I've only taken it once so far, (I plan to take it MWF only, since it's not that low, and the pharmacist recommended alternate nights, over splitting the pill), and I didn't have any trouble. I have the Slow Fe brand, ($9 For 30 tabs, in a white box), and it says it's 45 mg elemental iron, or 142 mg ferrous sulfate equivalent. Neat! (I hadn't actually looked that close yet.)
Now, I do find this interesting because I wonder if the ranges the nurse quoted me when I called were the non-pregnant or pregnant ones! One of my numbers was 11.1, and she said they want it over 11.7, but to me, that seems closer to the non-pregnant lower limit of 12.
<div class=" Quote"><img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/nv/p2kx8eu81pdh.jpg" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/nv/p2kx8eu81pdh.jpg"></div>https://healthybabycode.com/5-myths-about-pregnancy-nutrition-2-all-women-should-take-iron-during-pregnancy
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072758/
As for hematocrit:
<div class=" Quote"><img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/v7/6kf3drghhmuu.jpg" alt="" title="Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/v7/6kf3drghhmuu.jpg"></div>https://www.babymed.com/laboratory-values/hematocrit-whole-blood-during-pregnancy
I feel like this confirms for me that she was giving me non-pregnant ranges, and hence why I didn't get a call from the doctor. Mine was 34.4, and she told me they wanted at least 35.0, but really for 3rd tri, this gives a range with a lower limit 28. So... yeah. I may have just kinda wasted my money. Lol
@starla. Yeah, I think so!? That's what it says on the app icon anyway. But I feel like it listed something extra in the ap store... "Pregnancy Week by Week."
<div class="Spoiler"><img alt="" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/oa/iplrjctsa2q0.jpg"></div>
Also, I could swear I felt baby dreaming last week. You know how sometimes when your dog is sleeping, it will twitch and fake-run etc.? In REM sleep? It felt like my baby was having a little puppy dream, running through a field or something! It was so weird.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20