@bookworm492 I usually have 2 cups everyday. Some stuff says up to 300 mg a day is safe. Most coffee is under 100, but Dunkin’ Donuts is really high for some reason. My obgyn has told me in the past it is fine to go over on occasion
personally, I have had two cups and am about to get a soda.
@bookworm492 oh man, I totally hear you on the mistrust of insurance. It is by far the most stressful part of this pregnancy for me. I think you're right to go to the 20 week scan. Now that you know what the insurance problem was, care in the future should be less unpredictable in terms of cost? It's ridiculous how opaque these systems are, and how easy it is to be on the hook for WAY too much money! Our health care system feels like it was designed backwards - money first and care second. Also, while I usually have one cup of coffee a day, I don't worry too much if I have two. Take care of yourself! Hope it all gets worked out.
45 minutes on the phone with bcbs. THAT rep told me 2 things:
1. I should not have been billed what I was billed. I owe $48 as my copay for the testing. I need to send them an EOB. Again, I'll believe it when I see it.
2. My old policy is now under the same patient ID as my new policy. The rep was like "how is this even possible? This is totally unfair to you". So basically everything I get billed now under my current insurance ID will be rejected initially because my old policy is canceled. Then resubmitted under the same ID but to the new policy, and then approved basically.
I truly don't understand how that's possible, and potentially unpopular opinion here but I'm convinced ther current industry has no incentive to make this system work well because then it'll look easy and this way they can say "ther government could NEVER handle something so complex!"
@bookworm492 cpt code is the billing code of the service being performed. I hope you get everything fixed soon, and hopefully your doctors office doesn’t give you any grief over it.
And the insurance industry has been screwed up for years, this all is nothing new. I spend most of my day getting yelled at by patients because their insurance has denied something ridiculous for a ridiculous reason. And I, a chronically ill person could go on for days with my own horror stories.
Hello all - does anyone here recommend birthing classes? The class is expensive and not covered by insurance so just curious...it's offered by the hospital where I plan to deliver but there seem to be so many options..looking forward to your feedback/ comments. 😸
Kicking and fluttering question- is anybody feeling the movement to be really low, like right above the cervix low? I’m at 21 weeks. Also, when we went to the anatomy ultrasound, baby was so low, she was practically hiding in my pelvis behind my hip bones. Will this change, or am I just going to carry her low the entire pregnancy? The low kicks feel a little weird, like right into my bladder sometimes. I’m a STM, so maybe I’m just a bit more blown out down there than I thought I was! Thoughts?
@cpk3535 my kicks/flutters definitely feel way more lower in my abdomen than I originally imagined they'd be! FTM so I had no idea what to expect but def towards my cervix area too. I feel lots of pressure sometimes there too
@alexthemom I didn’t do birthing classes, I was in the room with my sister for both her deliveries so felt that was enough for me. We did do a newborn care class. That eased DH’s mind a bit with taking care of our son. The only thing that might’ve been useful to learn was how to really push, but the nurse explained it pretty quickly and it wasn’t a big deal.
@alexthemom I did the birthing classes, but they were free through our hospital. I'm not sure I would have paid a bunch for them. I learned some (even with friends who had shared liberally after giving birth and having a biology degree). My husband learned a lot! He found it very, very useful. Our hospital offered a birthing class, a breastfeeding class, and a baby behavior class. We took them all, but again they were part of the package if you gave birth there (and maybe $25/class if you didn't give birth there and they were worth the $25 for sure).
@holly321@ktmaesim@k_mama91 Our first is 8 years old already, so it’s been a while! I honestly don’t remember a lot about my pregnancy symptoms/discomfort with her, so it very well could have been exactly like this. Good to know it’s not an unusual situation, I figured the ultrasound tech would have told me that when we were having the anatomy scan last week. She was more concerned about pressing the reader into my hipbones and hurting me than where baby was hanging out😊
@alexthemom I did Bradley Method classes with my 1st, and a refresher class with my 2nd. I really loved that style of "birthing" and will be doing it again for my 3rd.
Married to DH for 6 years (together for 16) DS born 12.13.14 DD born 10.15.16 BFP 1.24.18, MC 3.13.18 BFP 4.25.19, EDD 12.31.19
No question just needing to vent. We recently moved which messed up our schedule with having appointments because all of my care is set up through referral with the VA. Well I got hurt almost 2 weeks ago and the same day got a call to set up my new OB appointment it wouldn't be until the 30th. I called a couple days later asking to be seen earlier to see if the ob could help or have any suggestions with this back injury. Well they moved it to the 23rd. Now fast forward to yesterday they call and say they need to cancel because they only gave me a 15 minute slot....the next available was the 31st after my original appointment. I said absolutely not I need to be seen I'm 20 weeks Thursday and I already had to cancel my anatomy scan with my prior OB that was supposed to be this week...well magically they had an appointment in a slot an hour later. I'm hoping this is just bad luck and they really aren't that lax on care but it is so dang frustrating!
@alexthemom I did a birthing class through my hospital. It was just one day and mainly to learn about the various stages of labor and what to expect throughout the process and the care you'd receive. I found that just knowing more or less what to expect helped me relax a bit. I didn't do anything about breathing techniques, positions, etc. I suppose what kind of birthing class you take depends as well on what kind of birth you are hoping to have, and if you want to use pain meds or not. I honestly didn't have a plan going in, and ended up getting a bit bullied into getting an epidural by my husband and doctor (my husband is a doctor and didn't understand why on earth I would not get one - he seemed to think I was just being stubborn, which did not endear him to me at the time), so am considering doing some sort of classes this time around as I like the idea of being able to walk vs. being immobile in bed, and would like to understand what positions could help. I did a lot of yoga ball and floor exercises while in active labor that helped a lot, but I just made those up!
Any other vegetarians out there? How are you all doing? Anyone have experience raising a vegetarian child? My husband and I have been vegetarians for 10+ years and are curious if there are good resources to support us as we think about how to do this with our first child. We made the switch as adults, but raising a kid feels like a whole different thing. Obviously a longer term question because all kids are vegetarian for the first six months or so... but still, I'd love to hear about your experiences.
@brrrrrrrrie I am not a vegetarian but my sister is vegan and is raising my niece vegan. Their pediatrician is supportive and she eats very well. I imagine vegetarian is easier than vegan because at birthday parties your child will still be able to eat pizza and cupcakes. I think that’s the part that will be difficult to navigate now that she’s starting school.
@brrrrrrrrie I'm a vegetarian and have been for 20+ years. It's second nature to me and I would not hesitate to raise my child vegetarian. (I think as long as you consult with your pediatrician and plan a balanced diet, it'll be great.) My husband, on the other hand, loves meat and eats it every day. Our child won't be a strict vegetarian because she will get meat from her dad if she likes/wants it, but she will probably eat a lot of vegetarian meals since that's all I prepare. When she gets older, she can decide for herself.
@brrrrrrrrie - I am not a vegetarian anymore but I do have a 13 year old cousin I usee to babysit who has been a vegetarian his entire life. Even as a baby/toddler he refused to eat any meat. It was the oddest experience for us because babies/toddlers have no idea what the concept is and everyone in his family eats meat. He just didn't like the taste of any meat we tried to give him. Eventually we all just stopped trying.
I'm sorry I don't have any resources for you but I do know that your kid should be totally fine without it. My cousin is preteen now and completely healthy and normal. A vegetarian diet is healthier then half the stuff people feed their kids these days anyhow. (In my opinion anyway)
My friend is vegetarian and they are raising their child that way. They ran into some iron issues, may or may not be related. They’ve had to be intentional about iron and also use a supplement. She said finding a supportive pediatrician was very important.
Not sure if this applies to anyone here, but do we have any urban mamas who ride public transportation? Have you taken a baby on it or do you plan to? My husband and I share one car, and I ride the bus and train all the time. I'd love to take my baby on the CTA, but I'm a little leery about the safety of doing so. From what I've read, it's safe to take a baby on public transit in a babywearing carrier, because passengers are well protected on these vehicles due to their size and height in traffic. I plan to follow up with the pediatrician to be sure. Just wondering if anyone has personal experience.
I'm still having a hard time keeping food and water down. The prescriptions and advice they gave me don't work 80% of the time.
My problem seems to be so much saliva! I constantly have too much spit in my mouth. It causes me to cough and that coughing leads to me spitting up which leads to my gag reflex going bananas on me! It doesn't help that my stomach has that nauseous "about to throw up" feeling almost constantly.
Does anyone else have this issue? How do I make my mouth dryer without making my throat dry?
Any other anti-nausea and anti-vomit help/suggestions?
@mrszoobear thank you! I hadn't seen that article. It made me laugh a little but I do think it's a good idea. I hope they roll them out soon so I can wear one😁 And I'm so sorry to hear about your BP scare and ongoing nausea. For the saliva, maybe a washcloth to dab your tongue periodically? Would that trigger your gag reflex?
@blueskychicago12 at first I was like, I'm never wearing that button but on my ride in today the train was packed and I really wanted a seat because I do have lower back pain at times since I got pregnant. even though I'm pretty small bump-wise. But I managed to stand ok for the 25 minute ride.
@bookworm492 no one has offered me a seat yet. I'm usually fine, but as time goes on I'm sure it will be less and less comfortable. But most people are so oblivious/absorbed in their phones, I wouldn't expect them to notice a button! Maybe a large sign. "Get up, jerks! I'm with child!"😆
I have another food-based question: if restaurants make their own mayo is it safe? I really wanted a lobster roll on our anniversary a few weeks ago but I didn’t get it because I asked if they make their own mayo with raw eggs and they did. Next week I am having dinner with a friend and the restaurant has lobster rolls and I’ve wanted one ever since. Thoughts?
@KTZ17 i would eat it, but i'm also easy runny eggs, deli meat and soft cheese and i'm sure other things you're not "supposed" to. also, a lobster roll sounds delish.
I'm a runny egg eater too. I've been told by a former chef that adding sugar to egg yolk creates a chemical change in the egg making it safe to eat. I have not researched this so I have no clue how true it is.
Anybody plan to cloth diaper?? I didn't start with DS until 3 or 4 months so I feel kinda clueless on the newborn part of it. Also does anyone know what/if anything I need to do to prepare the diapers for this baby??
@Peachie89 We're not going to fully cloth diaper, but planning to do something called a "hybrid diaper," which might actually good for newborns, and then you can transition the baby to fully cloth once he/she is a little older. Basically, it's a cloth shell, with cloth soaker pads--so you can just snap out the pads and put new ones in. Supposedly, this way, you can use the shell for 2 or 3 days without needing to throw it in the wash (blowouts as the exception, of course). We've also registered for biodegradable, disposable inserts for on-the-go, and we're registered for biodegradable disposable diapers to leave at daycare (lots of daycares don't like cloth diapering).
We registered for the Grovia hybrid shells, soaker pads, disposable inserts, zippered wet bag, and "perfect cloth diaper pail": https://www.grovia.com/
Re: QUESTION Thread
personally, I have had two cups and am about to get a soda.
With dd, I was misquoted that I would not owe the $500 hospital copay, so the insurance had to pay it, even though I should have owed it.
1. I should not have been billed what I was billed. I owe $48 as my copay for the testing. I need to send them an EOB. Again, I'll believe it when I see it.
2. My old policy is now under the same patient ID as my new policy. The rep was like "how is this even possible? This is totally unfair to you". So basically everything I get billed now under my current insurance ID will be rejected initially because my old policy is canceled. Then resubmitted under the same ID but to the new policy, and then approved basically.
I truly don't understand how that's possible, and potentially unpopular opinion here but I'm convinced ther current industry has no incentive to make this system work well because then it'll look easy and this way they can say "ther government could NEVER handle something so complex!"
At this point, I'm calling the insurance provider AND the care provider for everything, getting the billing codes, getting my percentage share, and checking the network to ensure all providers are in network. This will be a challenge for delivery and I'm now considering going painkiller free in order to prevent any billing mishaps (exhibit a: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/28/726572880/bill-of-the-month-4-836-charge-for-laughing-gas-during-childbirth-is-no-joke)
And the insurance industry has been screwed up for years, this all is nothing new. I spend most of my day getting yelled at by patients because their insurance has denied something ridiculous for a ridiculous reason. And I, a chronically ill person could go on for days with my own horror stories.
eta when he kicked it often felt really weird, and often hurt.
Married 1/28/17
TW:
BFP #2 10/10/17, MC 11/4/17
BFP #3 12/17/17 Birth 8/13/18
BFP #4 4/21/19 Birth 12/5/2019
Married to DH for 6 years (together for 16)
DS born 12.13.14
DD born 10.15.16
BFP 1.24.18, MC 3.13.18
I'm sorry I don't have any resources for you but I do know that your kid should be totally fine without it. My cousin is preteen now and completely healthy and normal. A vegetarian diet is healthier then half the stuff people feed their kids these days anyhow. (In my opinion anyway)
Married 1/28/17
TW:
BFP #2 10/10/17, MC 11/4/17
BFP #3 12/17/17 Birth 8/13/18
BFP #4 4/21/19 Birth 12/5/2019
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I'm still having a hard time keeping food and water down. The prescriptions and advice they gave me don't work 80% of the time.
My problem seems to be so much saliva! I constantly have too much spit in my mouth. It causes me to cough and that coughing leads to me spitting up which leads to my gag reflex going bananas on me! It doesn't help that my stomach has that nauseous "about to throw up" feeling almost constantly.
Does anyone else have this issue? How do I make my mouth dryer without making my throat dry?
Any other anti-nausea and anti-vomit help/suggestions?
And I'm so sorry to hear about your BP scare and ongoing nausea. For the saliva, maybe a washcloth to dab your tongue periodically? Would that trigger your gag reflex?
We registered for the Grovia hybrid shells, soaker pads, disposable inserts, zippered wet bag, and "perfect cloth diaper pail": https://www.grovia.com/
We also registered for the Bumworks Sprayer to spray off the shells/soaker pads before throwing them in the wash with the rest of the laundry: https://www.amazon.com/Bumworks-Cloth-Diaper-Toilet-Sprayer/dp/B016NDUKHK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=bumgenius+sprayer&qid=1564170932&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzU1M2T1o2UThVV00zJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUExMDM1MjY5M0g2UjlSUFdaTEU5UyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTY1NzY1MkU5MUU1WktUVVU3ViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=