The Great Big Question Thread!

kat_vegan87 · July 2022

Regarding after the baby is born. With DS, I bought just cheap underwear and the long pads. I ended up with an emergency C-section, but I’m really hoping to have a vaginal birth this time around. After I had DS, I barely bled. I maybe bled for a few days and it was never really heavy. Is this normal with csections? Just not sure if it’s my body or it was because I had a C-section. I also don’t bleed very heavily with my periods either.

krysnicole1022 · July 2022

I think it just depends. I bled less with my first C than the next couple.

relizabethp · July 2022

Did anyone feel yucky after after the TDap Vaccine?

KGETS86 · July 2022

@relizabethp I felt sick after it with my second, but it was also my third TDAP in less than 3 years between getting my 10 year booster, having my first baby and then having my 2nd baby 18 months later.

krysnicole1022 · July 2022

I always feel bad after the TDap but I had it in 2013/16/18 so maybe that's why? I don't typically form an immunity to it. I just feel like crap and we hope it passes on to the baby. Same reason I get the MMR in the hospital before I leave.

bows22 · July 2022

@relizabethp I haven’t had it this time yet but I felt crappy when I had it with DD. I remember getting a tetanus shot in my 20s and felt crappy after that too so I assume it’s just how I react. Glad I have that to look forward to 😆

jilliboo · July 2022

My baby is still breach and I will most likely need a c section due to the fact he can’t flip anymore. No more space in my weird uterus. Lol. I always wondered if you bled vaginally after a c section, or if that was just vaginal birth. As for the TDAP, I felt fine. My Spouse whined like a baby. Lol.

serenejellybean · July 2022

I felt achey and lethargic and cranky after tdap; was not expecting that! But it’s been 3 days and today I am feeling fine.

krysnicole1022 · July 2022

Definitely bleed quite a bit post C section. I'm not sure if it's more/less/about the same versus a vaginal birth but it comes with its own challenges. I assume that with your wonky uterus they won't attempt to turn him? My daughter flipped at 36 weeks. I know you don't have any space left but fingers crossed maybe he can maneuver himself down.

kat_vegan87 · July 2022

@jilliboo- I had a C-section with DS and I didn’t really bleed. It was more like a period. Just make sure you get high waisted underwear!

jilliboo · July 2022

@krysnicole1022 correct. No turning him. He’s defs trying, but he gets stuck sideways and it’s super uncomfortable for me. He’s totally out of room with 11 weeks left. It’s getting rough. @kat_vegan87 thanks for the tip!!!

krthouse · July 2022

@jilliboo Spinning Babies techniques can be really helpful for getting baby into an optimal position and if nothing else are good stretches for your body even if you do have a C

krthouse · July 2022

This is more for STM+, but has anyone used placenta encapsulation services and would you recommend it? The more I read about it the more I'm interested but this was very much not happening in lockdowns when I had DS so I have no experience with it.

jilliboo · July 2022

@krthouse unfortunately due to my medical condition and congenital uterine malformation, it is impossible for drs to safely try to rotate baby.

This is what my uterus looks like. Baby has half the space. It causes lots of other problems too. My chiropractor is working closely with me, but they also won’t try to spin him. It’s something we knew could happen.

krysnicole1022 · July 2022

@jilliboo having had three c sections the bleeding can vary. My planned c section I bled a lot more but with the two I actually pushed for there was less bleeding but it still went on and on. It is usually less than a period for me but my periods are truly nightmarish so that's not really a fair comparison. Just prepare for a lot of bleeding and hope that you get minimal bleeding.

jilliboo · July 2022

@krysnicole1022 my periods are nightmares too!!!! I’m preparing for an extra long nightmare bleed, but always hoping for less.

KGETS86 · August 2022

@krthouse I haven’t done placenta encapsulation myself, but I’ve had two very close friends that have. One spoke very highly of it. The other actually had it attributed to her severe PPD by her midwife. Once she stopped taking them, her PPD greatly improved. I think it depends on the person.

I usually end up with gestational hypertension, so my placenta is kind of shit by delivery.

krthouse · August 2022

@KGETS86 That's really interesting to hear. Part of my curiosity about it is in wondering if it might reduce my risk of having PPA again by balancing my hormones. I'll flag it as a topic to discuss with my midwife soon then. So far I'd only heard positive or neutral things so that is really helpful to know about.

bunnybb13 · August 2022

Is there ANY safe way to sleep on your back or ANY other positions then on your side? I’m 30 weeks pregnant as of today and have avoided sleeping on my back and slept on my side since the first trimester because I am VERY worried about anything going wrong. Almost everyday though I either have trouble sleeping or wake up on my back. Lately it’s not as easy to toss and turn at night so I wake up in the position I went to sleep in (left side if I could or the right side.) 90% of the time the left side is unbearable for me and I settle for my right. My right and left side both are very uncomfortable for me now. I’m told not to sleep on my back but it’s what’s comfortable. I looked up why it’s so uncomfortable for me to sleep on either side during pregnancy but only one article came up and they basically dodged the question stated in the title and reexplained the benefits of sleeping on your side.

kat_vegan87 · August 2022

@bunnybb13- I feel you! I keep waking up completely flat on my back and it is freaking me out. These are some tricks that I’ve tried/I’ve heard about that others swear by: put your hair in a bun so back sleeping isn’t as comfy, put a pillow under your back so when you do eventually roll over, the pillow will be there to keep you a bit tilted, have your partner wake you up if you roll into your back. I’ve noticed a huge improvement with using my maternity pillow and not waking up on my back. What does it for me is when I get too hot and I’m stripping everything iof, including touching the maternity pillow so I’ve been keeping the air on at night too.

I’ve been watching this one YouTuber (Cajun stork) and she helped explain that even if you are slightly elevated, you are okay with sleeping “on” your back, just avoid being completely flat. So if all else fails, put a couple extra pillows behind you when you fall asleep. Also, our bodies will tell us if we are doing something because we would hurt ourselves before we hurt the baby with back sleeping. Trust your body ❤️

jilliboo · August 2022

@bunnybb13 I finally found a way to keep myself from back sleeping. I took a small travel pillow/stuffed animal/pillow pet and put it between me and my maternity pillow at my shoulders. That way my shoulders can’t lead the rest of my body down the path of no return. Lol. And if my body starts going, my shoulders are super uncomfy so I readjust back to my side. Maybe give it a try.

siouxieq87 · August 2022

I agree that your body will tell you if something is wrong- I am one of those people that gets very pronounced Supine Hypotensive syndrome… if I lie on my back for more than 20 seconds I start getting foggy and lightheaded. I have an adjustable base bed and even with the bed at a slight incline it happens! Pretty much have to be fully upright to be comfortable, which really sucks cus I’m normally a back sleeper. I swear as soon as I have this baby I’m gonna go eat some sushi, drink a beer, and take a nap on my back:)

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

I use the boppy maternity wedge tucked behind my back when I go to sleep. I sleep with a body pillow anyway so I have both of those in place to keep my wedged in.

knottie2eb5667b4f764229 · August 2022

I’m 27 weeks and my baby is weighing in at 3lbs! Doctor said he’s going to be a big baby and that I might give birth before my due date which is on Halloween. He’s super active definitely been feeling more pressure in my hips from his head.

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

I'm glad your baby is growing at such a healthy rate! Did the doctor say why he thought you would give birth before your due date?

grossbabe · August 2022

I had tubal ligation in 2016.
I missed my period and now I have two faint positive pregnancy tests. How is this possible? I’m making a doctors appointment Monday. But I want to know has anyone ever experienced this before?

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

I think you're in the wrong forum because we are all due in October.
It's absolutely possible to get pregnant after a tubal. Odds are it's ectopic so I would get to the doctor ASAP.

hughesical · August 2022

Does anyone have tips for avoiding a false positive on the 1-hour glucose screening? I’m going in for mine next week and would love to avoid taking the 3-hour test unless I actually need to! I’ve gotten mixed advice about what to eat beforehand—some say I should fast, others say eat mostly protein. Any tips?

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

For the one hour test you should eat a high protein low carb meal about two hours before. I recommend two eggs with cheese and a piece of whole grain toast.

mia80 · August 2022

Was there a thread for belly bands a while ago? I thought I'd seen something, but can't find it now!

I never had one with my son, but was thinking of getting something for after this c-section. Also curious of there are any kinds you wear before and after?

mcclanna · August 2022

@hughesical it depends on the time of your test but some recommend a high protein snack the night before and then nothing morning of if it’s a morning test. That should give you the most accurate results.

kat_vegan87 · August 2022

@hughesical- I had to fast for mine, ask your dr AND the lab to make sure it isn’t a fasting one. But mine was also a bit different, the lab had so many people failing the 1 hour test that they made the first test 2 hours for everyone.

siouxieq87 · August 2022

Question about baby weight and maternal weight gain… at this point in pregnancy baby is supposed to be gaining about half a pound a week. If my weight on the scale is staying the same, and assuming baby’s growing appropriately, does that mean I’m losing half a pound a week? That seems crazy to me. I was a normal weight pre-pregnancy and am only up 5-9lbs for the whole pregnancy (my weight fluctuates quite a bit but has stayed in that range since 20 weeks.) I was measuring just a tiny bit on the small side last visit so I have a growth scan scheduled for Thursday.

edit to add: I’m 30 weeks today.

nerdymom22 · August 2022

I was told to eat and drink like normal for the 1-hour glucose screen. Mine was in the late afternoon, so I had eaten breakfast (my usual cereal and milk) and lunch (tbh I don’t remember, but nothing specific), plus the ~100 oz of water I drink over the course of my workday. The 1-hour is supposed to be an accurate representation of how your body reacts to glucose on a normal day, so you really shouldn’t be trying to game that system. Isn't it better to know you have GDM and manage it than trick the test into giving you a negative?

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

Eating a high protein low carb meal a couple hours before won't "game the system" but it can help prevent a false failed one hour. You can't trick your body into saying you don't have GD when you do unless you eat a meal of cheese and eggs DURING the test and then exercise DURING the test.
The three hour sucks so preventing a false fail and getting accurate reading is helpful. The advice is to help make sure she doesn't go into the test with pre elevated glucose. It's not a scam.
As someone with GD for the third time that's just not how it works.

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

@siouxieq87 with my third I didn't gain any weight my third trimester and he weighed ten lbs. I tried not to think too hard about it. 🤣

nerdymom22 · August 2022

@krysnicole1022 that makes sense! Thanks for the correction…I knew less than I thought. They had me do the screen twice because of my BMI 🙄 but I’ve never experienced the 3-hour or had to monitor glucose.

bows22 · August 2022

@nerdymom22 i think the idea is you CAN eat and drink like normal before the 1 hour test but I 100% agree with @krysnicole1022 that eating a certain way before the test is about preventing a false positive, not about tricking the test. If you have GD you will fail the 1 hour test no matter what you eat.

bows22 · August 2022

@siouxieq87 I also didn’t gain any weight in the third tri with my first (and only gained 14 pounds overall) and no one said a word. You’re probably just eating a little less or a little healthier without really realizing it

krysnicole1022 · August 2022

GDM is a complicated disease. I think most women just want to avoid a false fail so they don't have to suffer the three hour test. That much glucose on an empty stomach will make anyone feel like absolute crap. It's best to get accurate results. The protein meal a couple hours before is really just to avoid having too much sugar in your system when you drink the glucola. I've watched women stroll into their test drinking a milkshake. 🙄
That's so frustrating. The MFM specialist told me they wouldn't screen me early because I had "no risk factors" and I was like... except having it twice before...and I pushed for early diagnosis and screening to avoid the one hour but they didn't go for it. I actually passed the one hour but since I monitor my blood sugar at home i had to call and argue my way into a diagnosis because my sugars weren't stable. It was all sorts of drama. I didn't need the official diagnosis to monitor at home but it is important for them to do extra monitoring of the baby so I fought for that.

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