Moms to be Part 4

[KiKi Mouse]

With my first baby the hospital gave me surfak (stool softener). It's a gel capsule that you take orally (wanted to make that clear). Our second was born at home and I got DH to get some from the store.

I think it made a difference and keeps you from straining an area that has already been bombarded with pressure.

 

[Piecey]

Hm. I've had 4 surgeries and never been placed on a restricted diet after any of them.

3 of them I was put under general anesthesia, the c-section was drugs through the epidural.

 

[ZPT1022]

Hm. I've had 4 surgeries and never been placed on a restricted diet after any of them.

3 of them I was put under general anesthesia, the c-section was drugs through the epidural.

Maybe it has to do with how long you are under, etc, etc..... I certainly don't know, just my experiences and those of people I know like my kids. My kids and I have pretty bad anesthesia reactions anyhow so maybe it's just us

 

[justhat]

I am just guessing and my husband is napping so I can't ask, but maybe the diet is cause it's abdominal surgery vs something that doesn't relate to your intestines?

But that said, my CS was at 10pm and I was allowed to eat a regular meal for breakfast. They did have 'liquid diet' on my chart and brought me chicken broth, juice, and jello, but the OB had cleared me for food during rounds that morning so I called up and ordered fruit, french toast, and some other stuff. They delivered that around 9-10am, so less than 12 hours post-op. I didn't want to eat anything prior to that so I didn't ask if it was okay before then.

Patsy - I do know what you mean about the epi and the 'good stuff' cause when you get rolled back into the OR the epi goes from 'pain relief' to full out can't feel a thing in half my body. Again, husband is napping (as is my mom, though I am the one getting up overnight with this baby...) so I can't ask the difference. But for me it was huge as my epi wasn't totally working on my right side before the surgery, then when we decided on the c-section I was NUMB!

And my friend was like you with the epi wearing off or whatever exactly it does. They realized this in the OR and had to give her some narcotic that made her hallucinate. It was terrible as she was totally not 'there' for the birth of her twins.

Oh, and I did not have those pains in the hospital after my 1st either. But this time, OMG, it was intense! My pain threshold is really high too. Kid #2 was born totally natural and with this one, before I got the epi in pre-CS everyone was commenting on the strength/frequency of my contractions and that I wasn't reacting at all. But those uterine contraction pains that first night, OMG, I thought I was dying.

But I did just remember something: my uterus was bleeding a bit much after the baby was out so my OB put in Cytotec to get my uterus contracting so the bleeding would stop sooner. So it was basically like those contractions you get if they put that stuff in to induce labor I guess. I had Cervidil for my induction, which is milder, so I guess I just wasn't used to the intensity, but man, it was like being 9cm dilated in labor!


The catheter, I am like ZPT and also had a catheter with one of my 'regular' births cause I couldn't get up to use the bathroom and labor was taking longer than expected. My nurse this time said there's a rough time limit as to how long they leave an epi in before they just catherize you cause you may not know you have to pee and they are pumping you with fluids to regulate BP cause of the epi, so who wants to clean up your bed cause you didn't know you were peeing. I don't know what that time frame is though.


My husband is awake so I asked him and he said the liquid diet is really just for abdominal surgeries and is because of the surgeries, not the anesthesia. For a CS he said some drs wait till your bowels are functioning, others don't care.

And the 'good stuff' in the epi is just really high dose fentanyl, as opposed to the much lower doses for regular epis. The difference between the fentanyl pump (keeping the epi in) vs morphine pump is that less narcotic is used in the epi because fentanyl is stronger.

 

[justhat]

That kind of thing scares me so much! I'm sure you are just grateful that you were at the hospital and they caught it before it was a problem. Those are the kinds of things I can't help but think about when I read about these women who go it alone at home- no midwife, no anything, just some "back to nature" type experience. It's just way too easy for even a "routine" birth to quickly become non routine that the thought of not having a trained professional present frightens the heck out of me.

Believe me, I am right there with you on that fear! My 1st child passed meconium before she was born and had she been born at home she could have aspirated it into her lungs. Really, she would have, not could have. Luckily though that was not the case, they were able to stall my labor at the hospital to pump saline into my uterus to clear out the meconium, have NICU peds in the room for her birth to suction like crazy and she was completely fine. The other thing with her was that her head was off center and after pushing 2.5 hours needed to be turned with forceps.


And this baby, well, like you said, I am so, so grateful that they knew what was happening before it became a life-threatening problem. I was near hysterical when they were explaining it just thinking about the outcome had my water broken at home like with my 2nd child. I am so lucky that nothing went wrong with his birth and he was positioned okay and such (though he did have a very low heart rate that almost ended in an emergency CS and turned out to be the cord wrapped around his neck).

I can't even imagine having not been in a hospital and my husband has delivered many babies!

 

[Piecey]

Very interesting! My OB definitely didn't care what I ate (except for pop)... though she did have one meal sent back (it was turkey and gravy or something) because of my gallbladder. She told them to send me something low in fat instead.

Makes me wonder about this next one... since it definitely won't be at 10pm at night. Very curious indeed!

 

[WDWAurora]

Well, I'm bummed! My baby shower in my hometown was scheduled for today. I'm only 28 weeks, but I didn't want to travel out there much farther along (about 4.5hrs away). Unfortunately, last night, on our way out, we got the call that the snow was too bad. I had a really hard time agreeing to turn the car around. Poor DH was stuck in the car with me crying. No one could have gotten up the hill to the church today, from what they say. I'm still sad! We've rescheduled for the 1st weekend in March. Such a silly thing to be sad about after the pain of infertility, but I was still (am still I should say) so disappointed!!

I go back to the doctor on Thursday. I actually have a job interview right before. I'm miserable at my current job, and this one would correct a couple of the things that I'm unhappy about. It wouldn't start until the new school year, so the timing will work. I'm going to ask at my appointment if I need to stay home at some point, because I work about 45 miles north of where I live, and I'm already about a half hour from the hospital. I asked at my last appointment, and the doctor said I could drive myself to the hospital if I went into labor up there, which completely freaked me out! I'm trying another doctor to see if I get another answer.

OH-and my boss is mad at me (and technically wants a doctor's note, but I'm not getting it for her) because I don't want to travel 100 miles each direction (technically more) and spend the night alone in a strange town for a conference (that happens twice a year and they are exactly the same every time). I'll be 34 weeks at that point. Really? Even if the doctor would let me go, DH totally wouldn't! He hardly lets me go to Target by myself now. Well, anywhere really. He worries too much about us!

 

[hulagirl87]

Well, I'm bummed! My baby shower in my hometown was scheduled for today. I'm only 28 weeks, but I didn't want to travel out there much farther along (about 4.5hrs away). Unfortunately, last night, on our way out, we got the call that the snow was too bad. I had a really hard time agreeing to turn the car around. Poor DH was stuck in the car with me crying. No one could have gotten up the hill to the church today, from what they say. I'm still sad! We've rescheduled for the 1st weekend in March. Such a silly thing to be sad about after the pain of infertility, but I was still (am still I should say) so disappointed!!


OH-and my boss is mad at me (and technically wants a doctor's note, but I'm not getting it for her) because I don't want to travel 100 miles each direction (technically more) and spend the night alone in a strange town for a conference (that happens twice a year and they are exactly the same every time). I'll be 34 weeks at that point. Really? Even if the doctor would let me go, DH totally wouldn't! He hardly lets me go to Target by myself now. Well, anywhere really. He worries too much about us!

I"m sorry that you were unable to have your shower. I bet that was a let down. But now you have something to look forward to and hopefully all the snow will have melted by then!!!

I can't believe that your boss would be mad about you not wanting to go to a conference. You shouldn't be travelling that late in the pregnancy (that's what I think at least ) And my DH is the same way, always saying "be careful!" even if I'm just going a mile away to the grocery store

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I'm back!!!


Adam Jesse was born Tuesday, February 9th at 9:08 AM. He was 7 lb 14 oz and 20 inches. He has a cute head of strawberry blond hair and these sweet dimples on both his cheeks. The C section went very well and was on schedule! We stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon.

I'm so glad to be home! Hospitals are not the place for rest and relaxation. Adam is glad to be home with Mom and Dad and big brother too! The cutest thing happened the first time he met our dog. I swear his eyes were the size of saucers when he finally saw this big yellow dog sniff him!

He has his days and nights mixed up and so do I! I'm having a bear of a time with breast feeding. I didn't do it with my oldest and so its a foreign experience. It takes a lot of time and energy. I also am having a hard time with the positioning of it.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I need to take the time to go through and catch up on everything I missed here!!! I couldn't wait to get back here and let me friends know how everything went!

 

[justhat]

Congrats Cici! Sounds like you have a little cutie on your hands! The breastfeeding thing, I did nurse my first 2 kids and for over a year each time, but I am struggling with it a bit with this baby. So really, the experience clearly is not helping me. She simply doesn't open her mouth very wide, so she has a poor latch that hurts me. If she weren't the 3rd I would probably quit, but at least I know it can get better so I'm sticking with it for the time being.


Aurora - Seriously? I would leave your job too if my boss thought I should travel at 34 weeks, 100 miles from my home. No thanks!

 

[hulagirl87]

Adam Jesse was born Tuesday, February 9th at 9:08 AM. He was 7 lb 14 oz and 20 inches. He has a cute head of strawberry blond hair and these sweet dimples on both his cheeks. The C section went very well and was on schedule! We stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon.

Congratulations!!! and welcome baby Adam!!! He sounds like a cutie

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Congrats Cici!!

WDWAurora... do you have a family Dr. who can write you a note? I don't know an OB in their right mind who would give you permission to travel like that! That's insanity!

 

[justhat]

Aurora - I forgot to say that with my 2nd I drove myself to the hospital and he was born a little over an hour after I arrived. I wouldn't suggest that drive to anyone as the contractions were bad at that point and I remember running a red light in front of a police station blocks from the hospital cause I was in so much pain. But assuming you don't go into hard labor very quickly like I did with that kid, I would guess you'd be okay to drive, but you probably wouldn't really want to.

 

[EmALee]

I'm back!!!


Adam Jesse was born Tuesday, February 9th at 9:08 AM. He was 7 lb 14 oz and 20 inches. He has a cute head of strawberry blond hair and these sweet dimples on both his cheeks.

Congrats!

 

[DMickey28]

Congrats CiCi. Can't wait to see pictures. Glad to hear the C-section went well ... how's the recovery?

Five weeks from this AM and I should be holding my new little boy in an hour or so!! ;-) The nursery is all completed. I am so proud of it. I do need to steal a few things out of DS#1's room like the diaper pail and the wipes warmer ... neither of which we really need in his room anymore. I don't think they are the types of things he'll miss!!

 

[hulagirl87]

I love the nursery pics!!! The little decals over the closet are so cute!

 

[ZPT1022]

I'm back!!!


Adam Jesse was born Tuesday, February 9th at 9:08 AM. He was 7 lb 14 oz and 20 inches. He has a cute head of strawberry blond hair and these sweet dimples on both his cheeks. The C section went very well and was on schedule! We stayed in the hospital until Friday afternoon.

I'm so glad to be home! Hospitals are not the place for rest and relaxation. Adam is glad to be home with Mom and Dad and big brother too! The cutest thing happened the first time he met our dog. I swear his eyes were the size of saucers when he finally saw this big yellow dog sniff him!

He has his days and nights mixed up and so do I! I'm having a bear of a time with breast feeding. I didn't do it with my oldest and so its a foreign experience. It takes a lot of time and energy. I also am having a hard time with the positioning of it.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I need to take the time to go through and catch up on everything I missed here!!! I couldn't wait to get back here and let me friends know how everything went!

Congratulations!! He sounds great and what a funny reaction to the dog!

As for the nursing, I did it with all mine so far (even the twins) and I will say that it is really hard at first but it does get easier and even gets to the point where (to me at least) it seems easier. I had friends who did the bottle thing and it seemed like such a hassle to try to warm the bottles when you're out, one more thing to carry, etc, etc.... I figured I had to carry my ta-tas around anyhow, may as well put them to use Kidding, but seriously, you do hit a point with it where it becomes much simpler.

 

[ZPT1022]

Congrats Cici! Sounds like you have a little cutie on your hands! The breastfeeding thing, I did nurse my first 2 kids and for over a year each time, but I am struggling with it a bit with this baby. So really, the experience clearly is not helping me. She simply doesn't open her mouth very wide, so she has a poor latch that hurts me. If she weren't the 3rd I would probably quit, but at least I know it can get better so I'm sticking with it for the time being.


Aurora - Seriously? I would leave your job too if my boss thought I should travel at 34 weeks, 100 miles from my home. No thanks!

Has she been checked for a tongue tie??

 

[ZPT1022]

Congrats CiCi. Can't wait to see pictures. Glad to hear the C-section went well ... how's the recovery?

Five weeks from this AM and I should be holding my new little boy in an hour or so!! ;-) The nursery is all completed. I am so proud of it. I do need to steal a few things out of DS#1's room like the diaper pail and the wipes warmer ... neither of which we really need in his room anymore. I don't think they are the types of things he'll miss!!

]

The room looks wonderful! Great job!

 

[justhat]

Has she been checked for a tongue tie??

Yeah, she's just lazy! When she first starts a feeding she latches fine as she's hungry and opens wide. But then as she gets full she slowly releases the latch, so her mouth gets progressively smaller, thus more painful for me. Now that it's been 3 weeks that has gotten old so I've been much better about pulling her off at that point, but I still am not too vigilant overnight so it isn't totally resolved.


I agree with what you said about nursing being easier in the long run. Once you get over the learning curve in the beginning, there's no mixing, heating, cleaning, etc.


DMickey - Love the nursery!! It is adorable and I think the best part is that the colors can grow with Ryan as he's older.