I can’t believe I’m doing an “Ask the…” thread, but what the hell. I’m tired, bored, and actually have something that might be mildly interesting for people to ask about.
But before you ask, allow me to answer the questions I get ALL THE TIME:
I’m feeling pretty good, just tired and a little sore, thanks.
It’s a boy.
No, he isn’t named yet. We have several names we like and will pick the one best suited to him when he’s born.
He’s due April 20.
I’ve gained enough weight to make baby and I healthy and my doctor happy.
And if you don’t feel like asking me stuff, then feel free to entertain me with your horror stories of labor, or about your baby peeing all over you (and occasionally into your mouth) every time you changed him, or how DeathLlama and I will no longer exist in the eyes of family, or how Our Life Is Over and we’ll never travel/have sex/sleep/etc. again. These are the most popular topics of conversation with pregnant women.
Are you scared when you think about pain involved with the labor? I’ve never had a baby, but friends who have describe it as quite unpleasant, especially if they didn’t get any pain meds for whatever reasons.
Guy speaking. How do you know when the child is about to be born? I’ve heard things like water break and faster cramps, but how do you know when to go to the hospital? Do you have advanced warning somehow?
Hal…no, not weekly. I originally started taking pics every 4 weeks (starting at when I was 8 weeks pregnant), but in the later months I’ve gotten both forgetful and unmotivated. That and the digital camera broke. Last pic I took was at 28 weeks; I’m 36 weeks now.
Lissa…I’m not really that afraid of labor pains. I don’t know if that’s ignorance, stupidity, or both. I basically look at it like this–all female mammals go through excruciating labor pain of one sort or another, and they have been since such births came into existance. My body is designed to create, develop, carry, and then give birth to an infant…so this means the pain is also normal and not something to fear. Of course, I may be screaming for pain relief and cursing all of male-kind with the first contraction…who knows.
I’m sure it’ll hurt like hell, though. I’m going to try and go as natural as possible–I don’t mind pain medication through an IV, but I do not want an epidural if I can at all help it. I have a long history of back problems, and my father’s back is a nightmare. I don’t want anything messed with in my back, no matter how common/benign/risk-free I’m told it is.
Then again, if I have back labor, or if my back complicates the labor, bring it on. I’m not opposed to medical intervention, just like to limit it as much as possible.
Jake…it really depends with the woman and the pregnancy.
Water breaking is actually fairly uncommon; something like 20% of all labors begin with it. It can be a trickle (if baby’s head is low, which is good) or a rush (if baby’s head is higher, which isn’t bad per se, but not as good). It is usually (but not always) followed by intense contractions as the process speeds up.
What I’m to look for (signs of early labor) are a sudden burst of energy (my sister became obsessed with cookie baking) and a feeling of being excited and restless. This is because the body releases epinephrine in norepinephrine in minute amounts–enough to keep me from standing still, but not enough to make my heart pound. This is the “nesting” urge many speak of…but I am not to give in to it, if I can help it. I shouldn’t expend my energy mopping the floors on my hands and knees when I have labor ahead of me!
Other signs of this latent (early) labor stage include mild contractions that are spaced more than 4 minutes apart and last less than a minute. Active labor–when my energy level suddenly shifts and I am feeling tired, serious, and discouraged, I’m having more than 2 contractions in 10 minutes that each last at least a minute–is when I should report to the hospital. Latent labor is when I’m dilated up to 3cm; active is 4-7cm.
BTW, you gotta love that my “When to Go to the Hospital” reference page says “Trembling, nausea, and vomiting are all good signs [that labor is progressing].” Well, hoo-ray.
Horror stories, huh? Well, soon, your not-yet-born baby will be a teenager. Oh yes…
Sorry, that was mean, wasn’t it?
OK, here’s one - have total strangers ever stopped you to tell you crap about pregnancy that is bogus and not in the least bit if interest to you?? I was pretty huge, and we were taking our semi-regular waddle through the mall. (It was cheap entertainment, so we went frequently.) We were outside a bookstore, and a woman came over and started talking to me.
Among other things, she told me she could tell I was having a son (my daughter is a college sophomore) and she went on to tell me crap about her pregnancy. Meanwhile, my husband, her husband, and her 2 kids were standing there fidgeting, and I was trying to figure out if I knew her… When she finally left, my sweetie and I looked at each other and determined that neither of us had any idea who she was. Very bizarre.
FairyChatMom–I’ve not had too much weirdness from strangers. I did get the, “Oh, you’re having a BOY!” thing early on because all of my weight went out front. Now that I’m 8mos and small (to strangers, apparently), they’re now saying, “Oh, it’s a GIRL huh!” I’ve had a few comments, but no entire conversations/monologues from strangers. And thankfully, I haven’t had strangers touching my belly. I think I’ll break the hand of anyone who tries.
Rysdad…believe me, we are up to our EARS in diapers! I’d already bought about 140 newborn sized, then my ingenius baby shower coordinator/hostess had a “diaper door prize”–anyone who brought ANY package of diapers of ANY size was given a raffle ticket. I now have at least 500 newborn sized diapers, and something like 250 of them in the next size up.
Ruffian, with respect to the kickoff of the main event, I just wanted to tell you to not be embarrassed if you go to the hospital thinking it’s time, only to be sent home to wait some more.
This OB/GYN I know was always complaining about women who jump the gun and come in 3 or 4 times before it’s really time to admit them. She swore she would be able to tell the real time if it were her body.
Then she got pregnant, and sure enough, in she came only to be sent home again. Twice.
So please don’t let anyone give you any flack over that. It happens to most people.
Heh heh…thanks SpaceKat. We’ve actually hired a doula (professional labor coach) and she’s going to work with us so we can better know when it’s time to go to the hospital. Doesn’t mean we won’t end up going and having to come back, but should help reduce the chances.
When I was 8 months and 2 weeks pregnant with Kamkid #2 I developed a bad case of mumps. I looked like Elephant Man, and felt equally rotten. The docs decided to induce his birth a week early, just in case the mumps virus might infect him as well. It wasn’t much fun…especially when after the birth they stuck me (and my wee babe) in a hospital ward totally alone, and the nursing staff forgot about us being isolated out there.
We went home a day later, and suffered my fat neck, pain and fever in the comfort of my own bedroom. Kid didn’t get mumps, but I managed to confer immunity to him!!
I loved loved loved the pain of contractions! It was so much better than actually being pregnant. I had a terrible pregnancy. I was ready to endure any pain at all to get that baby out of my body. I was prepared to go totally drug-less, but alas, my horror story: Huge 10½ pound baby, narrow pelvis, water didn’t break, doctor broke water, baby aspirated merconium, heart rate drop for both mom and baby, emergency c-section under general anethesia, baby born not breathing, apgar of 1.
But within 10 minutes all was well with the baby, mom was still out. I don’t do general anesthesia well. Giant baby monster in NICU next to all these little 2 lbs premies. It took me several hours to fully come out of the anesthesia so I didn’t see my baby for a while, indeed at first I didn’t even realize I’d had a baby. (Did I mention I don’t do general anesthesia well?)
On the bright side: Baby is now 7½, he’s stong and healthy, bright and active and the absolute best kid you could ever ask for. Rocky start, solid future.
I wish you the best easiest labor and delivery possible and the most wonderful little boy in the world (besides mine, that is).
I’ve had two, and I feel for you. That last month of pregnancy feels like it goes on for at least a year.
I had epidurals for both of mine. The boy was born after 46 hours of excruciating back labor and an emergency C-section. He’s 15 now and sometimes I think the labor was easier. The girl was born after 12 hours of ho-hum textbook labor; the only interesting thing that happened there was when I grabbed my husband by the front of his shirt and hissed, “You’re getting a vasectomy!” This was after the drugs wore off.
Have you heard the one about if you get scared by something the baby will be born looking like whatever scared you? My grandmother failed to mention this to me until AFTER I’d watched Child’s Play. You be the judge.
I don’t have labor horror stories. Other than Midwife Witchipoo, I seem to have anti-horror stories.
First baby, fifteen days overdue, arrive at the beginning of Midwife Witchipoo’s shift. Didn’t believe I was in labor, gave me a sleeping pill and a shot of something she said was a muscle relaxant - I still don’t understand what that was all about - and put me to bed, sent my husband home. Two hours later, husband is called back in all haste, and arrives with twenty minutes to spare. Five hours of labor, only laughing gas for the pain, and in the biggest surprise of the night, 4.7kg of beautiful baby boy (that’s 10lb 5oz for the metric impaired). at 1:54 am.
Second baby, only five days overdue, assigned to a much nicer midwife whose motto appears to be Don’t Panic. Four hours of easy labor, no medical stuff for the pain, though I give birth packed in scented hot rice bags, and out comes another beautiful boy, this one weighing four kilos on the nose (8lb 13oz). At 12:34 am. What’s with this middle-of-the-night thing, I wonder?
So, between the two of them, I went twenty days overdue, was in labor for nine hours, and gave birth to 8.7kg (19lb 2oz) worth of baby
We hired a doula as well even though Iris had to have a C-section. That was probably one of the best ideas we had with the whole birthing process and we’re both glad that we did it. I think you’ll do fine since you’ll have someone there who knows what’s going on and all while your SO concentrates on you.
You might have too many of the infant diapers, I think we went through about 100 or so and then we moved up to the next size. We’re still on the next size though and I know we’ve been through 150 or more. I’d say take some from the hospital if you can, this way you don’t have to open a new package and can take it back.
Do you plan to breastfeed or use the formula?
I tried that “stocking up on diapers” thing with my first two kids. The first time, I bought (and received as gifts) a lot of newborn sized diapers. My daughter weighed just slightly under nine pounds (half an ounce shy), and was only able to wear the newborn size until we got out of the hospital. (Oh, and I had a C-section after 38 hours of labor.)
The second time, I decided to play it smart. I bought up diapers in size ONE. I figured that if I had another nine pounder, I’d be all set, and if the baby was smaller, I could buy newborn size and use the others later.
Yeah, right. After overshooting my due date by 15 days, they induced my labor. 14 hours later, the doctor said I’d need another C-section. Well, the reason for needing a section becomes apparent when you’re laying on the operating table and you hear the doctor say, “My goodness, will you LOOK at the size of this baby!” Several minutes later, the nurse came back into the room and said, “Are you ready for this? 12 pounds, 2 1/4 ounces!” And all the size one diapers I’d bought had to be exchanged for size two. (I don’t care what the weight listings are on the packages–you could hardly squeeze that poor little guy into the size ones!)
The last time, I skipped labor and went right for the section–and left the diaper buying till I had her. She was 10 pounds, 4 ounces and was able to wear size ones–for about a month!
I was 4 days overdue. My water broke at 10:00 pm. Immediately went into contractions about a minute apart, which is when we were told to go to the hospital. They were mild, Braxton-Hicks type contractions. 15 hours of them. I never dilated. And they wouldn’t feed me!!! (I guess they figure you might get sick if they have to give you anaesthesia.)
At 15 hours, they decided I needed some pitocin to stimulate labor. I never dilated. At 21 hours, they did a C-section and my 8 lb-14 oz baby boy was finally here! (I received an epidural, which wasn’t terrible. But I hear the memory of pain fades with time, and it’s been 21 years! ;))
The next morning, they brought me a liquid diet breakfast. I was ravenous! I bitched and moaned and they brought me a real meal, too. That was the worst part though, being hungry.
Last pic I took was at 28 weeks; I’m 36 weeks now.
