Hey everyone! I've been following this thread, but if my question has been answered I can't recall.
Is anyone here using a midwife? If so, what made you make your decision? If you chose specifically not to have a midwife, what was your reasoning?
Where I'm from (in Canada), we have a midwife shortage and so I applied thinking I wouldn't get one. I've just found out that I have been approved, but my doctor and family have already talked so much smack about midwives that now I'm questioning my initial choice. Just looking for some first-hand experience. Also, this is my first pregnancy, which sometimes makes a difference in choosing a health care provider.
@Kurtni yes you're right! Thanks so much. I got the same reply from someone on the Bump app helpdesk as well, "It's common practice to measure from baby's head to rump up until 20 weeks. After 20 weeks, baby starts to stretch out more so the measurements are switched to be taken from from head to toe from 21 weeks on. I hope that makes sense!"
There's another jump around Week 25 but I'm not going to worry about that one too much ;-)
@alaluap I’m in Canada and using a midwife. I think each midwife group is likely different - the one in my area has a great reputation. They have lived up to their reputation so far! Do you know anyone in your area who has used a midwife? Might be worth going in for your initial meeting and asking some questions. What are your worries in terms of using a midwife?
@alaluap I assume it’s different in Canada from the sounds of it, and possibly in different parts of the States, but my practice has midwives and doctors. Last time I was “a midwife patient” but allowed to see whoever I wanted. I opted to see a doctor only once I was scheduled for a c-section, but other than that I only saw midwives. I loved it and their way about prenatal care. I aim not to have many medical interventions, even when not pregnant I hate taking medicine unless absolutely necessary. This time around, I’ll be seeing doctors and midwives, but I’ll be classified as a midwife patient. This is mainly because I’m high risk and going through MFM and I just want to cover my bases. I think it’ll be helpful to see both view points, especially since I feel much more confident advocating for myself now than I did with my son’s pregnancy.
Do the midwives in Canada still deliver in a hospital? That would be my major concern. I had a midwife for most of my labor, but it turned into a high risk situation and a doctor came to assist, they both delivered my son together and helped with the “repairs” afterwards. If you can still have access to a doctor, I would go for it. What are your concerns?
so I totally just wiped out on the stairs and fell down about 6 steps. Some butt and back bumps nothing directly on my stomach but is that something I should be worried about and call my OB or just wait and bring it up at my next appointment?
My worries are mostly in terms of 'what if things go wrong'. My doctor was subtly against the idea when I asked her about it ("they only call us when they get themselves in a pickle", "if you only knew all of the things that can and do go wrong'", etc.). I also am not into taking medication unless it's needed, but I like the idea of it being available if I'm not prepared (because we never know until we're in the situation how we will feel). Midwives can assist in hospital births, but we have an amazing birth center facility that seems so much more inviting, but there are no doctors on site.
I have lots of friends who have used midwives for their 2nd and 3rd child, but none who have for their first. They all say they wish they had for their first, but they also didn't have any complications. I also have a friend who is a midwifery student and she would be assisting the team (I like this aspect).
@alaluap here’s my two cents on it..I love midwifery care, but without a hospital setting and the availability of a doctor I would not choose it. I had too many unforeseen complications during my labor that would have had me transferred to a hospital had I been at a center. It would have been bad for my son knowing how long he would have been without a high enough heart rate. I’m in Massachusetts and we only have one birthing center that I know of in Boston, but they are minutes from some of the world’s best hospitals. Despite that, my paramedic husband would not even entertain the idea of the center when I brought it up due to the labor calls he has been on the ambulance for. I would be asking a lot of questions regarding the “what if’s” when you meet with the midwives, especially regarding when they consult a doctor, does that doctor have access to your records, what happens if the baby needs a nicu, hemorrhage, when they decide to transfer, what hospital, how far it is, would they go in the ambulance, etc.. I might have a different outlook on this than most, as daughter of two labor and delivery nurses who have seen, and shared it all, and knowing my husband’s experiences, but personally in the situation you’re describing I would not do it. I wish there was a way to labor in a serene, comfortable environment like a birth center without the worry, but the hospitals just aren’t there yet.
Would your friend be willing to assist you as a doula or support person in a hospital setting? That way you’d get the midwife frame of mind and support as well as the medical interventions if needed.
@megmac2010 I've been losing as well, but I started this pregnancy out with a high BMI. I'm 15 wks, and I've lost 8lbs since my 9wk appt. My doc is ok with the loss.
Hey all, I was wondering if anyone has dealt with a cold, flu, etc and what’s worked for them?
I started a thread on the topic but was advised this is the more appropriate place for it. Feel free to respond in either location. I’ve got a phlegm cough that is kicking my butt and would love some insights.
@kmb412 as for the flu, you may want to discuss that with your OB. If you aren't nursing (some of us may be and I'm not sure who is or isn't) I wouldn't take anything but tylenol for a cold. If you aren't nursing you can take something to dry up the mucus you have. I have literally been nursing for almost 5 years now so I can't think of the name of that stuff. I just push through a cold because everything I can take would dry up my milk.
@kmb412 I’ve already suffered through two colds in my first trimester. It sucks and unfortunately there’s not too much you can do. I used a humidifier at night which helped a bit and a diffuser with eucalyptus oils. Other than that I just had to wait it out. I missed NyQuil more than anything. But if you get chest congestion that doesn’t go away or at all gives you tightness in your chest call the doctor, you don’t want to develop bronchitis or pneumonia
@kmb412 I’m finally over the cough that plagued our house for the past few weeks. I had to take Mucinex DM a few times, but I hate the way it makes me feel a little loopy so I tried to limit it, but it is safe for pregnancy and is an expectorant and cough suppressant. Other than that, I had a lot of tea with honey and cinnamon and a lot of steamy showers to help. Also, the saline spray for your nose is helpful to break everything up a bit up there. My husband ended up with pneumonia, but I avoided that luckily. The doctor prescribed me a zpack in case I got worse, but I didn’t end up needing it. Just make sure you stay hydrated and watch for a fever and keep in contact with your doctor if you think you’re getting any worse or see green/yellow phlegm (gross I know!). Good luck and rest up!
@kmb412 I had a nasty cold after we visited my hubs college town. Took me two weeks to kick it but I was 1st tri so just sucked it up and was miserable for a week. Nothing to be done for a cold. I would ask your OB about your cough though especially if it’s productive. Would be a shame to have an untreated infection.
@kmb412 - Between colds and allergies I had some difficulty with breathing the first few months. Nothing is too small to mention to your OB but as mine were all minor enough not to warrant medicine this is what worked for me:
I did a shower before bed to clear up my breathing and be more comfortable before bed. Used a humidifier at night, cough drop and plenty of fluids and raising the pillows to almost sitting My main problem was getting to sleep, if I could do that I usually could manage through the day uncomfortably enough.
Thank you all for the advice. Some the mucinex seems to be doing the trick, along with sleeping for 12 hours. Hopefully I can fully kick it this weekend
I got back from a work trip recently where I ended up picking something up. For a bit it looked like I was on the mend (my natural strategy even when not pregnant is to go med free and "sleep it off") but yesterday I woke up with eyes sealed shut from what looks like pink eye. Phlegm and coughing are still there but the pink eye is really what's got me concerned. Messaged my doctor for advice but it's of course Saturday.
Any ideas or should I just go to urgent care at this point? (Making matters worse, hubs is out of town and my motivation to get out of bed is about zero). 16+2 for the record
@patchlaw11 I’ve dealt with conjunctivitis a lot as a teacher. Most of it is viral, but it can be bacterial so definitely get checked out. If it’s viral, it’ll go away on its own, you can make it feel better with eye drops or coconut oil and cold or warm compress. They make an eye wash as drug stores too that helps with the gritty feeling. Feel better soon!
I'm ready to delve into the world of baby registries and I think I have it narrowed down to babylist.com and Amazon. 1) Which do you prefer? 2) Does it make sense to have both or should I just stick with one of them?
@runningfortwo81 I liked Babylist and I’m using it this time just to have a place to organize what I need to start getting. I use Amazon for their lists for other things like birthday and Christmas gift ideas for my son and send them to family that ask for ideas, it works great. I think the only reason you’d want both registries is if you’ll be taking advantage of the completion discount (if amazon even has one!). But with Babylist, you can add things from any site including Amazon, so I found it easier to have it all in one place when making my registry with my first. Also, with Babylist, I like that guests could check off or “reserve” a gift to buy if they bought something in store and did not need to buy it through the registry. It made it easier when my aunt found out convertible car seat on sale in a similar print rather than the one we registered for, and got that for us instead. It’s similar to Zola if you’ve used that for any wedding registries!
Anyone else an allergy kid mama? My son has a few severe food allergies and I'll be talking to the allergist at his annual over the summer but I'm wondering about what to eat while nursing/food introduction later on. His allergy was diagnosed at about 18 months and now I'm wondering about times when he was a fussy/gassy infant if it was related to what I was eating.
@ABabyMarshall - Following. Egg allergy with my second daughter. We are 2(almost), we tested positive at 9 months or so and haven't retested yet because she had a small reaction a few months ago so I am going to wait another year until we go back.
@Dancer688 An egg allergy must be so hard and hard to avoid I can't imagine. Well since it seems it's just us I'll update with our allergists recommendations once we go during the summer. My son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts so naturally I was munching on PB sandwiches while nursing 🙄 lol I'm not even quite sure how much of the proteins get passed along through nursing but it got me thinking of how he had some tummy troubles early on
@ABabyMarshall my son had allergies as a baby to oats/wheat/rice. It was a type of allergy known as FPIES (if he got anything with those 3 things, he'd projectile vomit until he was lethargic exactly 2 hours after eating). It was hella scary the first time it happened, because he was only 5 months old and I thought he had a stomach bug.
Thankfully many kids out grow it by the age of 3 and my son did outgrow them by the time he turned 2. So while I'm not an allergy mom anymore, I totally get how scary and overwhelming it is. Especially when they are little and you're just figuring them out.
@gumby22c ugh that also sounds terrible I'm so glad he outgrew that, what a relief it must be, so hard to avoid any of those things.
Unfortunately peanut allergies have a low likelihood of being outgrown, and some tree nuts he has "outgrown" according to blood work but then the following year his numbers would be up again so we just avoid everything. Really hopeful for the treatments that are in the works for food allergies 🙌
@ABabyMarshall my friend's daughter had a severe allergy to peanuts for years. Just contact with peanut dust could (and has) sent her into anaphylaxis. They did a kind of treatment called OIT, where they slowly introduced minuscule amounts of peanut to her under a doctors watch. Eventually increasing the dose as she tolerated it over time building up her immunity, to where she now eats a certain amount of peanut M&ms a day to keep it up. Shes not cured or no longer allergic, but it keeps her from reacting nearly as severely if she accidentally eats something with peanut in it. I was amazed when I heard that was even a thing, but its changed her daughters life drastically! I wonder if some day it may be an option for your son?
@ABabyMarshall - you are right. Egg or potential trace amounts of egg can be in anything. Pasta, all desserts essentially, most baked goods, sauces, salad dressings. The list goes on.
On the bright side, my husband is vegan so it has been easier to manage than expected at home. It just gets hard at restaurants.
I dont envy your peanut allergy. Those tend to be more severe. We are lucky that while hives and breathing issues and vomiting happen. She isn't anaphylactic.
For those that have been using a doppler to check the heartbeat at home:
Where do you seem to find babys HB most consistently? I seem to remember @emeraldcity1214 mentioning you found it near your belly button one time. I always find baby girl way down low, like right around where the top of my underwear hits. Shes never anywhere else. I know it's her, it's always between 135-150, so I know its not mine. Anytime I've felt movement, that's where shes been too. I'm just curious what others have noticed!
@gumby22c I find her all over, this week I’m able to feel where she is so it’s a bit easier, but before I would need to search. She’s been as low as my pubic bone, far right and left by my hip bones, and up close to my belly button. She seems to spend a few days in the same spot, then move. I can’t wait to see her moving at the anatomy scan in a few weeks!!
@natehk I’ve had it too, my husband called me out other day when I had a mark on my dress 🙄. I read it can be a symptom. It hasn’t been consistent, just random so I’m not worried about it being fluid or anything, but if you think it’s that, the doctor can test it to see if it is amniotic fluid.
@natehk Sometimes I have so much I need to change my underwear but I haven't ever left a wet spot on the couch. Could be normal. If you have liquid that keeps coming out and it seems like a lot. Call your OB immediately.
@gumby22c I consistently find his HB about 2 inches below my belly button and 1 inch to the left. That's where he hangs out most of the time. I have also found it up high near my belly button and low near my panty line. And last night it was on the right side but below my belly button. He also runs from me sometimes so I give him a good chase. 😂 Most of the time I can put the doppler on my belly in his usual spot and find it immediately.
I have no idea how high my uterus is suppose to be but I have been feeling this guy move above my belly button. 😳 I thought he was suppose to be lower. He is measuring a full week ahead but it still seems high for how far along I am.
I think I've read by 20 weeks at the top of the uterus is at the belly button, but I'm sure it varies for everyone.
I'm tall and have a long torso and I know that made a difference in the second half of pregnancy last time. Z had a fair amount of space even at the end of the pregnancy. Even though it didnt feel like it at times! But he never made it up into my ribs (which I've heard so many women complain about) and I'm sure it was because my torso is so long.
Re: The Great Question Thread
Is anyone here using a midwife? If so, what made you make your decision? If you chose specifically not to have a midwife, what was your reasoning?
Where I'm from (in Canada), we have a midwife shortage and so I applied thinking I wouldn't get one. I've just found out that I have been approved, but my doctor and family have already talked so much smack about midwives that now I'm questioning my initial choice. Just looking for some first-hand experience. Also, this is my first pregnancy, which sometimes makes a difference in choosing a health care provider.
There's another jump around Week 25 but I'm not going to worry about that one too much ;-)
Do the midwives in Canada still deliver in a hospital? That would be my major concern. I had a midwife for most of my labor, but it turned into a high risk situation and a doctor came to assist, they both delivered my son together and helped with the “repairs” afterwards. If you can still have access to a doctor, I would go for it. What are your concerns?
My worries are mostly in terms of 'what if things go wrong'. My doctor was subtly against the idea when I asked her about it ("they only call us when they get themselves in a pickle", "if you only knew all of the things that can and do go wrong'", etc.). I also am not into taking medication unless it's needed, but I like the idea of it being available if I'm not prepared (because we never know until we're in the situation how we will feel). Midwives can assist in hospital births, but we have an amazing birth center facility that seems so much more inviting, but there are no doctors on site.
I have lots of friends who have used midwives for their 2nd and 3rd child, but none who have for their first. They all say they wish they had for their first, but they also didn't have any complications. I also have a friend who is a midwifery student and she would be assisting the team (I like this aspect).
Would your friend be willing to assist you as a doula or support person in a hospital setting? That way you’d get the midwife frame of mind and support as well as the medical interventions if needed.
I started a thread on the topic but was advised this is the more appropriate place for it. Feel free to respond in either location. I’ve got a phlegm cough that is kicking my butt and would love some insights.
I would ask your OB about your cough though especially if it’s productive. Would be a shame to have an untreated infection.
I did a shower before bed to clear up my breathing and be more comfortable before bed. Used a humidifier at night, cough drop and plenty of fluids and raising the pillows to almost sitting My main problem was getting to sleep, if I could do that I usually could manage through the day uncomfortably enough.
Hope you feel better soon!
Any ideas or should I just go to urgent care at this point? (Making matters worse, hubs is out of town and my motivation to get out of bed is about zero). 16+2 for the record
Thankfully many kids out grow it by the age of 3 and my son did outgrow them by the time he turned 2. So while I'm not an allergy mom anymore, I totally get how scary and overwhelming it is. Especially when they are little and you're just figuring them out.
Unfortunately peanut allergies have a low likelihood of being outgrown, and some tree nuts he has "outgrown" according to blood work but then the following year his numbers would be up again so we just avoid everything. Really hopeful for the treatments that are in the works for food allergies 🙌
On the bright side, my husband is vegan so it has been easier to manage than expected at home. It just gets hard at restaurants.
I dont envy your peanut allergy. Those tend to be more severe. We are lucky that while hives and breathing issues and vomiting happen. She isn't anaphylactic.
Where do you seem to find babys HB most consistently? I seem to remember @emeraldcity1214 mentioning you found it near your belly button one time. I always find baby girl way down low, like right around where the top of my underwear hits. Shes never anywhere else. I know it's her, it's always between 135-150, so I know its not mine. Anytime I've felt movement, that's where shes been too. I'm just curious what others have noticed!
@gumby22c I consistently find his HB about 2 inches below my belly button and 1 inch to the left. That's where he hangs out most of the time. I have also found it up high near my belly button and low near my panty line. And last night it was on the right side but below my belly button. He also runs from me sometimes so I give him a good chase. 😂 Most of the time I can put the doppler on my belly in his usual spot and find it immediately.
I have no idea how high my uterus is suppose to be but I have been feeling this guy move above my belly button. 😳 I thought he was suppose to be lower. He is measuring a full week ahead but it still seems high for how far along I am.
I'm tall and have a long torso and I know that made a difference in the second half of pregnancy last time. Z had a fair amount of space even at the end of the pregnancy. Even though it didnt feel like it at times! But he never made it up into my ribs (which I've heard so many women complain about) and I'm sure it was because my torso is so long.