February 2023 Moms
amccurls
member
Weekly Checkin Dec 12
amccurls
member
EDD / Weeks + Days:
Baby is the size of a(n):
Team blue/pink/green:
Upcoming Appointments:
How are you feeling?:
Rants/Raves:
Questions:
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up?
Re: Weekly Checkin Dec 12
EDD / Weeks + Days: 29w 3d
Baby is the size of a(n): acorn squash
Team blue/pink/green:💚
Upcoming Appointments: fetal echocardiogram on Thursday. Nothing has been seen by the 20-ish week anatomy scan but they are doing it as an extra precaution because of our IVF pregnancy and the higher risk of heart defects.
How are you feeling?: Physically I’m feeling pretty good overall- maybe a mild ache here and there and moving a bit slower. My blood sugars improved this week but I’m still wondering if I should go on a little bit of medication.
Mentally I had a bit of a tailspin after meeting with the OB of my practice last Friday (my midwife was out sick). He mentioned the topic about how I’m at higher risk of fetal demise because of the 3 high risk labels I have (AMA, IVF, & GD) but wouldn’t give me absolute risk numbers to work when I asked him point blank about them. And then told me he recommended me to go for a NST weekly at 32 weeks and then BPP AND NST test starting at 36 weeks and asked for my consent for it. I was frustrated with myself because I couldn’t recall the numbers I’ve read about the risk of stillbirth and when I looked them up again afterward, realized that I had deemed the absolute risks were still pretty low (albeit the relative risk was higher) and had previously pushed the stillbirth thought out of my mind which was why I’d forgotten the numbers (ugh, pregnancy brain!). The fact that he wouldn’t help me calculate my risk upsetted me and my anxiety spiraled for the next few days with my fears of not only stillbirth but also having an induction, epidural, and c-section. As most of you know, I strongly desire to have a natural vaginal unmedicated birth and not interested in having much intervention unless absolutely medically necessary. I believe the body and baby knows when it’s time for labor and delivery. I’d prefer to stay with expectant management even though I know the conventional studies recommend an induction at 39 weeks.
Rants/Raves:
Thankfully, I started going to a weekly prenatal yoga class on Sundays and that helped me reset mentally and I’m much calmer now.
Questions: How are other high risk mammas coping with their high risk label(s)?
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up?
I think I’m unusual in the sense that I knew I wanted to work in healthcare at a very early age. I loved playing doctor when I was three and helping others. In elementary school, I considered becoming a teacher. I saw my cousins become medical doctors as a teenager and realized that their lifestyle and educational experience was not for me because I wanted a better work/life balance if I chose to get married and have a family (especially as a woman). After taking my first anatomy and physiology class in 12th grade,I was in love with that topic and knew healthcare was my direction. After looking at my options beyond becoming a doctor, I decided on becoming a nurse practitioner instead. I have no regrets and I love my role in healthcare. I find helping other people and finding strategies to reduce their suffering very fulfilling in life.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 32+2
Baby is the size of a(n): pineapple
Team blue/pink/green: blue
Upcoming Appointments: just had one this morning! Next is Dec 30
How are you feeling?: pretty good, all things considered. Definitely getting more and more “done” with being pregnant.
Rants/Raves: Raves: Had our 32 week growth scan today. Baby’s looking good and tracking along his growth curve (45th percentile, a relief given that my husband is 6’6” and was a 9 lb baby), which is especially comforting after my bout with Covid two weeks ago. And we had my baby shower and after, my cousin told us that she’s also pregnant and due about 5 months after me, which is very exciting. I especially like that that means my baby will get some aspects of the big family that I grew up with even though he’s looking unlikely to have any first cousins close to his age. Rant: Apparently the fact that we won’t tell anyone his name before he’s born is driving our families nuts. We haven’t even 100% decided on it, but my grandmother and my SIL especially are very stressed about it. It’s actually kind of funny, but I’m dreading dodging all the questions during the holidays.
Questions: natm
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? I wanted to be a doctor, thanks to being just generally curious and then hearing my grandmother’s stories of being a nurse in the early 1940s and all of the many advances she saw over her career (like the introduction of antibiotics and polio vaccines and safer anesthesia). Then in college, I got research experience and realized I would rather be the one behind the scenes working on the next advances than the person handling day-to-day medical care, so I just became a different kind of doctor.
@everyone just realized I named this post weekly randoms. Preggo brain 🤦🏻♀️
@ttc3y I’m sorry you had that experience! I hope you’re able to get more answers at your next appt.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 31 + 5
Baby is the size of a(n): bunch of asparagus
Team blue/pink/green: pink
Upcoming Appointments: 20th
How are you feeling?: not great. I’m having pelvic issues. It started as pressure / really feeling the weight of the baby. Now added period-like cramps. Also really hard to roll over in bed. Naturally because of the big belly, but it also hurts my pelvis.
Rants/Raves: other than the pelvic pain, no.
Questions: anyone else having similar issues?
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? I wanted to be so many different things as a kid. A lawyer, a doctor, a teacher. It changed all the time. I never truly knew what I wanted to do until after a year of college. In high school I really wanted to be a brain surgeon but my peers told my I couldn’t do it so I didn’t. I started as a culinary major, wanting my own bakery. Then changed to Early Childhood Education. Then realized I really wanted to teach special education instead. I always wonder what would happen if I went surgery route. It’s still so fascinating to me. I got to watch a hysterectomy in person once and it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I wish I could go watch surgeries and learn without having to get the degree.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 30 weeks tomorrow
Baby is the size of a(n): zucchini..a large, wiggly one I'm assuming
Team blue/pink/green: pink
Upcoming Appointments: next week
How are you feeling?: Good overall but I've been very tired the last week and my gallbladder is acting up a little. I must have ate too much saturated fat again ..
Rants/Raves: I found some good discounts on my favorite newborn diapers (Honest Company) and stocked up directly from the website. By stocked up, I mean 11 packs...which will probably not even last 2 months but I'm excited because it's an expensive brand that I got for cheap and since I stopped cloth diapering after #3, those are my go-to diapers for newborn babies.
Questions: Anyone else starting to think about labor a lot?
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? I never thought about it much, but it was obvious that I was going to go into a helping profession. I would pack up my cabbage patch kids and bring them to their appointments kind of like I was playing social worker. I also liked to play librarian because my dad was a janitor at an elementary school and he brought books and bookshelves home that would have been tossed otherwise. It would turn into playing teacher and I actually had the thought in my mind that "someday when I'm a teacher..." , wondering why I would think that because I had no intention on being a teacher or homeschooling my own kids. I had no ambition in high school or my early 20s but later did get an associates degree in Human Services and worked with a variety of people who needed help. And then I got married and had a million kids whom I homeschool. I still love books. 😁
@fertile-turtle, my mom and MIL really want to know the baby’s name too, but we don’t even know yet. They keep asking us every few weeks.
@amccurls, yes, rolling over in bed is such a hassle! I’ve been feeling some pelvic pressure and really bad sciatica.
@seeds_of_joy, yes, labor is all I think about. I’ve been listening to so many birth stories. I’m worried that I won’t get Braxton Hicks, which means I won’t even experience practice contractions! I have no idea how I’ll handle labor. I also realized that I’ve done so much pregnancy and labor research, but have no idea what to do when the baby is born. 🤦🏻♀️
EDD / Weeks + Days: 31 + 5
Baby is the size of a(n): Asparagus
Team blue/pink/green: Blue
Upcoming Appointments: Next Monday for a routine checkup and growth scan.
How are you feeling?: Eh. I think the size of my stomach is doubling each week (this might be slightly an exaggeration). I’m nervous about labor. It’s hard to move around, and my acid reflux and dizziness has come back.
Rants/Raves: Rave—I never had a nesting urge, but finally forced myself to get organized during my time off from work. I cleaned the garage (and lifted too many heavy boxes by myself 😬), cleaned the guest room/nursery so that it’s no longer a storage room, washed baby clothes, and bought necessities like diapers, burb cloths, a breast pump, etc. I finally feel like things are coming together. Rant—I’m so tired of using the restroom constantly. Also, my cat is going through another phase where she wakes me up between 4-5am.
Questions: What pain management do you plan to use during labor (breathing exercises, bath/shower, counter pressure, etc.)?
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? When I was really young, I wanted to be a vet or marine biologist. In high school, I wanted to be an animator for Disney.
@seeds_of_joy I’ve been thinking a lot about labor too. I made a playlist and a birth plan but that’s as far as I’ve gotten other than just wondering what it’ll be like this time.
Another thing I'm doing this time around is trying not to use the word "pain" but rather pressure or surge. I'm trying to get in the mindset that this is the natural and healthy feeling of my body working to birth a human. 😜
@fertile-turtle it’s so wild to me that people care so much about needing to know gender or names. My in laws constantly make comments about how secretive we are.
Also, I used IV meds with my firstborn. They helped at first and you're right about them timing out. I had them administered a 2nd time and nothing!!
I’m also keeping an open mind that anything can happen. It feels like my baby is flipping around all the time, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was breech at my next appointment or if we experience cord wrapping issues. Hopefully, not. I’m excited for my growth scan and to know more next Monday.
also, there’s plenty of time to prepare! I just had a huge nesting urge when we moved so I got it done.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 31w 1d
Baby is the size of a(n): asparagus
Team blue/pink/green: blue 💙
Upcoming Appointments: Monday Dec 19, OB, NST & BPP will be weekly starting then
How are you feeling?: good overall! I think he’s dropped some. We went to Disney for the day yesterday for our daughters bday and I wasn’t winded the whole time lol
I have been having trouble sleeping. My ribs hurt when I sleep on either side. I wake up and switch often. It’s so weird though. Idk if he nestles his little feet in my ribs when I’m sleeping or something?
Rants/Raves: Rave: the 4D ultrasound was awesome. So worth seeing our little buddy.
Questions:
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? A teacher or a marine biologist. I ended up teaching for about 6 years total and now am a homeschool momma.
@ttc3y at first I did not cope well with it honestly but I’ve found a sense of gratitude in the fact that we have the technology to know what my little buddy needs after he’s born. A lot of my coping is knowing that I am not in control and have been resting in knowing that God is in control. Some days are for sure harder than others with the high risk label. It feels like the label adds an added layer of pressure to the process. I’ve been labeled high risk since 20 weeks now. Just know you aren’t alone and I hope you find something that brings you peace in this final stretch.
@kamays54 I don’t feel prepared at all. This past week I did start creating a hospital packing list and buying some post partum things I felt I needed but other than that, I feel frozen in some of it lol
@karbaud I plan on using music, breathing, movement, and counter pressure. I am trying not to get too set on a plan and being open to whatever needs to happen but that is hard for me as a planner.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 31 weeks today
Baby is the size of a(n): head of romaine lettuce
Team blue/pink/green: green
Upcoming Appointments: Monday 12/19
How are you feeling?: still getting nauseous and awful hip/ pelvic pain but the meds for heartburn are magical and that is almost non existent now. I hate taking pills but I needed that for my sanity.
Rants/Raves: rave is the improvement in heartburn. Rant is my 5 year old has been very sassy lately and pushing a lot of buttons and between dealing with that and feeling awful I feel like I’m losing my mind. Also am trying to resign myself that I’m not going to get to take a much time for maternity leave as I want to and it just makes me sad. I hate our lack of family leave here. In Colorado we will get paid family leave but it doesn’t start until 2024 😫
Questions: not at the moment
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? When I was little I wanted to be a doctor or a marine biologist. But by about middle school I knew science was not my jam but helping people was. It took me a little to get there but being a social worker is really my dream job. Very passionate and proud of what I do.
@angbaby83 sorry about your maternity leave. I'm kind of in the same boat. We don't really have a maternity leave policy at my job so I'm going to have to use short-term disability which is just 6 weeks. I could use PTO as well but with all the doctor appointments I'm not going to have any left. The good thing is my boss (one of the owners) is going to pay the difference between the short-term disability and what my salary is so that I get paid my full salary while I'm out.
I am also amazed at how time is moving. I feel like I have so much time left but then I look at the calendar and cannot believe we are half way through December.
EDD / Weeks + Days: 29+4 Feb 26th (being induced Feb 19th)
Baby is the size of a(n): acorn squash
Team blue/pink/green: Blue
Upcoming Appointments: Jan 11
How are you feeling?: Sooooreeeeee and tired. Some days are great, others it feels like my tailbone is putting so much pressure on my ass, and my knees hurt, and I can't sleep. But it's not always that way.
Rants/Raves: I had an appt last week with a different OB doctor than I normally see. We set up my induction and talked further on those details. Reminder: I live on an island only accessible by ferry, no hospitals here, but Seattle and Tacoma are only 15-20 min ferry rides, and we have helicopter insurance if it comes down to an emergency. The problem with the ferries is that they dont run every minute of the day. If I go into labor at 3 AM, I can't leave except by helicopter. In addition, my first baby was about a 4 hour labor, less than 30 minutes in 2nd stage. I also had a 4th degree tear, thankfully I healed wonderfully. Most OBs up until my current one, have said it would be best to have a C-section to prevent another tear. My current OB disagrees, and thankfully after lots of talking we decided on a vaginal birth, that I will be induced for, to prevent a home (or car, helicopter, ferry etc) baby. This will slow down labor because speed was possibly a factor in my first birth. It also unfortunately can increase risk of tearing since it will increase pain and will potentially lead to an epidural, and additionally will increase my chance of a C-section since we don't know if baby will want to come out. Anyway, all of that IMO outweighs chancing a home birth because it scares me to think about having a baby, unassisted and chance tearing at home. I would still have to go to a hospital to get as stitched up. If I had my perfect scenario I would have a peaceful at home birth with no interventions. But I just don't think it's the right choice after every detail I already shared.
Annnnyway- back to the original story, I saw an OB that I don't normally see, and I kid you not- she tried to talk me into a C-section for at least 30 minutes. She even had the nerve to say that c-sections are safer for the baby. Which is ridiculous. It's more traumatic. Babies are designed to go through the birth canal. She also said that I'm breech, so if I'm still breech, then it's a c-secrion. I was 28 weeks at the appt! There is time. She also said since im being induced, there's a high chance it'll be a c section. After she left the room, my FIVE year old looked at me and said "you know mom, she's really nice, but if she's trying to get you to do something you don't want, she shouldn't be your doctor" 😭😭. I also want to make sure I mention that I don't judge people for getting c-sections, whether for personal reasons, or emergency. I just would prefer not to get one if it's possible. Will I if its a true emergency? Absolutely! But I don't want a planned c-section. This OB doctor is the one on call when I go in to be induced. My regular OB is on the next day, so it will likely be her to deliver my baby, BUT, given my history, it's not impossible that I could have the baby the day I go in to be induced. I'm going to ask if I can just have any midwife on call instead of the doctor until MY doctor is there I think. Or she and I need to sit down and talk about my expectations. I am not going to be bullied into something I don't want to do. It's possible she just wanted me to know that even though I don't want one, it's still in the cards but idk. I just felt so pressured.
Sorry for the novel. I'm just so turned off and angry about it
Questions: any thoughts about what I mentioned above? What would you do?
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? I wanted to be a vet! I still think it would be amazing but I don't want to go back to school for that long. We have a little farm, and I get my fix that way!
@fertile-turtle ooh thanks for giving me some resources. I'll definitely ask. I had luck with my chiropractor using the Webster technique to turn my daughter. I'll see if my current one does that as well (after checking with my doctor of course). Thank you!
EDD / Weeks + Days: 2/7, 32w5d
Baby is the size of a(n): bunch of celery
Team blue/pink/green: 💙
Upcoming Appointments: Fri, 12/23 (it feels INSANE to be typing that date already!)
How are you feeling?: Very pregnant and very grateful 🥲 I’m pretty useless now though after 7:30. I feel so exhausted, and I’m up almost every morning now around 4am wide-awake regardless of the time I went to sleep 😅
Rants/Raves: Rave- my sisters and mom will be joining us for Christmas this year since it’s too late for me to travel anywhere, and I’m just counting down the days until we are all together again! It’ll be so nice to have everyone come to me (finally!) for a change.
Questions: Our master bedroom is upstairs and the other two bedrooms are far away downstairs. I’m hoping to transition the baby into their own room around 4-6 months, but it seems like such a trek to go downstairs for feedings and to check on him when he needs us in the middle of the night. Anyone else have a layout like this??
GTKY: when you were younger, what did you dream of being when you grew up? I remember falling in love with marine biology after the whole “Voyage of the Mimi” in 6th grade, and in high school I thought I wanted to be a fashion journalist, but naturally the alpha in me led me to becoming a teacher 🤣