Upcoming Appointments or Results: First appointment is set for April 11th.
How are you feeling?: The best comparison I can make is feeling like I’m hungover.
Rants/Raves: November can’t come soon enough!
Questions: I have a pretty severe needle phobia, so I’m anxious about my upcoming appointment. I’m addressing it in therapy, but am wondering if anyone else has dealt with this & if they have any advice? Does it get any easier?
Upcoming Appointments or Results: Next appointment is set for April 20th, which was supposed to be our first appointment, but my OB squeezed us in this past Monday for a scan because I was spotting. All is well, and we got to see little one's heartbeat!
How are you feeling?: Exhausted, boobs hurt like a MF, and intermittent nausea. Still so excited though!
Rants/Raves: Agreed with everyone about the weather! Can I just have my nice sunny spring now?!
Questions: none off the top of my head!
@little_umlaut , I also have severe needle phobia, and have found that I do best when I lie down for blood draws, don't look at what's happening, and distract myself by talking to the nurse/phlebotomist. Also, drink lots of water and keep warm, which will make your veins easier to find! 😉
@little_umlaut I don't have a phobia per se but I do dislike needles entering me (I worked as a care worker and regularly did insulin injections so no problems with doing it to other people). I have had a LOT of bloodwork done in the past 5 years and the very best thing you can do is to look away and keep talking. It really keeps your mind off of it. It's gotten a bit better but I still don't like to watch the process. I do have to give myself nightly heparin injections so unfortunately I don't really get the luxury with those ones 😅
Momma to 3 angels and two amazing children
F born June 2018 W born September 2020 #3 due November 2022
@little_umlaut I personally think it does get better I used to have a terrible needle phobia. I'd work myself up so much I'd vomit and/or faint. Between my last pregnancy and now having to do regular blood draws for a thyroid condition, I've gotten quite used to them and never have issues anymore. Just express your concerns and ask for someone with a lot of experience, be well hydrated, and don't look. Oh, and tell them not to warn you right before they stick. It'll make you tense.
Upcoming Appointments or Results: First ultrasound is Apr 9th!
How are you feeling?: I'm feeling excited and worried. Been under the weather with a low fever and hoping all is ok.
Rants/Raves: I have a rant for sure! Each day around 3pm, no matter how much I've slept, I'm falling asleep on my feet! I just want to nap all the time!
Questions: Has anyone chosen names yet? I feel I won't have any idea until later on when I know baby's sex and can feel baby moving around
@allie1365 I thiiiink we have a girls name picked out (okay, I have a girls name picked out, and hubby said he liked it and then offered an alternative that I vetoed…) boys names… no idea
@little_umlaut I learnt this from my dear friend who is an L&D nurse that the smaller the needle head the less you will feel the insertion. When I started taking notice of the needle sizes I was mind blown lol. So ask for small needles if you see big ones coming at you
@little_umlaut I also suffer from severe needle phobia and generally white coat syndrome. I almost completely fainted from a tiny cut on my finger the other day!
I second what @bkk2cville and everyone else suggested. Some other tips are bring a comforting scent or essential oil, let the nurse know that you feel anxious, bring juice to drink before or afterwards, and just generally while doing it think of the little baby that you are doing it all for. Some of the techniques from all of my birth classes help me focus my breathing and do some comforting visualizations. Additionally, I made a relationship with one of the nurses at our birth center and she would always volunteer to do my draws and shots. It has made such a huge difference.
A choice that I have been able to make has been to receive midwifery care rather than care in a hospital. As someone with a lot of medical trauma this has made a huge difference. I am in no way against hospital care or birth, but I am so much calmer around midwives than doctors.
@little_umlaut let them know how you feel so they will hopefully have the most experienced person draw you. If you have a comfort item, bring that plus a support person if allowed.
It may also help to ask to lie down while they draw, sometimes it helps to also put a cool compress over the eyes with headphones in. Distracting the sense often works wonders. Best of luck! If it is not a tolerable experience or if the lab tech isn’t understanding, please advocate for yourself and request another person.
@little_umlaut I agree with what everyone else had said but I will say I too used to have a huge phobia and would pass out almost anytime I had to get blood taken or get a shot. After having my first child, it has improved a lot. I still can’t watch or see the needle first. Good luck!
I’m a bit late to this thread but lol Est Due Date / Weeks + Days: 11/6 8w6d
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM
Upcoming Appointments or Results: next appointment is early may, but I’ll go in for blood work for NIPT in a little over a week
How are you feeling?: Nausea on and off, fatigue is my biggest symptom tho
Rants/Raves: I have one of both lol so rant: I’m a bit disappointed that for my first ultrasound they did abdominal, of course I’m happy that I got to see it at all and everything was fine, but I didn’t get the clear ultrasound pics that everyone seems to get this early from transvaginal. My next ultrasound is in may so it’s not too far at least Rave: I told my boss this week and he was surprisingly super supportive, expressing concern about my stress levels and offering to reduce my work load if needed
Upcoming Appointments or Results: not until the end of the month.
How are you feeling?: Somewhat tired and nauseated off and on throughout the day.
Rants/Raves: In prior pregnancies, eating always made the nausea go away. This time, it still does, but I don’t feel like eating when I’m sick. So irritating!
@manamo777, that’s so funny. I’m like, stay out of my down there as much as possible. The fewer people and less frequently it happens, the better.
@database6 re: labs. I think it’s more common nowadays for people to request them, but generally they’re not done unless you’re at risk in some way, such as history of loss. I’ve never had them done.
@fantasyflyte re: early ultrasound. I’ve only had an early ultrasound with one, and it was very quick. Just long enough to take the measurements to establish a due date. And they told me the date right then.
@ameyer00 re:snacks. I would eat peanuts. Protein and fats and healthy.
Re: Weekly Check in w/o 3/28
Est Due Date / Weeks + Days: Due Nov. 11th
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM
Upcoming Appointments or Results: First appointment is set for April 11th.
How are you feeling?: The best comparison I can make is feeling like I’m hungover.
Rants/Raves: November can’t come soon enough!
Questions: I have a pretty severe needle phobia, so I’m anxious about my upcoming appointment. I’m addressing it in therapy, but am wondering if anyone else has dealt with this & if they have any advice? Does it get any easier?
Est Due Date / Weeks + Days: 6 weeks, 3 days
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM
Upcoming Appointments or Results: Next appointment is set for April 20th, which was supposed to be our first appointment, but my OB squeezed us in this past Monday for a scan because I was spotting. All is well, and we got to see little one's heartbeat!
How are you feeling?: Exhausted, boobs hurt like a MF, and intermittent nausea. Still so excited though!
Rants/Raves: Agreed with everyone about the weather! Can I just have my nice sunny spring now?!
Questions: none off the top of my head!
@little_umlaut , I also have severe needle phobia, and have found that I do best when I lie down for blood draws, don't look at what's happening, and distract myself by talking to the nurse/phlebotomist. Also, drink lots of water and keep warm, which will make your veins easier to find! 😉
W born September 2020
#3 due November 2022
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM
Upcoming Appointments or Results: First ultrasound is Apr 9th!
How are you feeling?: I'm feeling excited and worried. Been under the weather with a low fever and hoping all is ok.
Rants/Raves: I have a rant for sure! Each day around 3pm, no matter how much I've slept, I'm falling asleep on my feet! I just want to nap all the time!
Questions: Has anyone chosen names yet? I feel I won't have any idea until later on when I know baby's sex and can feel baby moving around
I second what @bkk2cville and everyone else suggested. Some other tips are bring a comforting scent or essential oil, let the nurse know that you feel anxious, bring juice to drink before or afterwards, and just generally while doing it think of the little baby that you are doing it all for. Some of the techniques from all of my birth classes help me focus my breathing and do some comforting visualizations. Additionally, I made a relationship with one of the nurses at our birth center and she would always volunteer to do my draws and shots. It has made such a huge difference.
A choice that I have been able to make has been to receive midwifery care rather than care in a hospital. As someone with a lot of medical trauma this has made a huge difference. I am in no way against hospital care or birth, but I am so much calmer around midwives than doctors.
@allie1365 sorry you are not feeling great!
Est Due Date / Weeks + Days: 11/6 8w6d
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM
Upcoming Appointments or Results: next appointment is early may, but I’ll go in for blood work for NIPT in a little over a week
How are you feeling?: Nausea on and off, fatigue is my biggest symptom tho
Rants/Raves: I have one of both lol so rant: I’m a bit disappointed that for my first ultrasound they did abdominal, of course I’m happy that I got to see it at all and everything was fine, but I didn’t get the clear ultrasound pics that everyone seems to get this early from transvaginal. My next ultrasound is in may so it’s not too far at least
Rave: I told my boss this week and he was surprisingly super supportive, expressing concern about my stress levels and offering to reduce my work load if needed
FTM/STM/TTM+: FTM as in fourth.
Upcoming Appointments or Results: not until the end of the month.
How are you feeling?: Somewhat tired and nauseated off and on throughout the day.
Rants/Raves: In prior pregnancies, eating always made the nausea go away. This time, it still does, but I don’t feel like eating when I’m sick. So irritating!