FEBRUARY HEARTS Due in February 2015 , open group all welcome!

[swanxxsong]

Crysshae - congrats on team blue! and congrats also that you're not placenta previa! I bet you're relieved!

Melly - I went and checked a website because I couldn't remember and it says 34-35 weeks. However with twins... and your 'presumed likelihood' to go earlier... I would say ask your provider their input? haha. At least, I assume they expect you'll go earlier. Never met a twin mom who wasn't led to assume that -- even if they ended up making it to 38 weeks or more in the end!

Also read that it likely won't help someone who tore once already -- whoops! Ah well, I'll still probably do it in the hopes I won't get a terrible tear. I will ask midwife next appointment what she thinks.

 

[Megamegan]

Feronia I have also created my birth plan using combat boot mama's site! My doula recommended it. So here's what I have. In the state of NY we are not allowed (truly) to refuse Vit K shot or eye ointment, but we can delay the eye ointment (and I read one mom wiped it off right after haha) so I'll be doing that. (In the event that we refuse those things in a hospital birth, they apparently are known to call CPS. Ridiculous.)

I put our real names on there for our printout so they don't get us confused but I took it out for this post.

 

[RaspberryK]

Megan that is such a brilliant birth plan, so much easier on the eye than the way we were supposed to write ours xx

 

[Feronia]

WTF, I just confirmed what you're saying, Megan. That's so messed up that they call CPS over something you should very much have the right to refuse! I've read that things are more lenient if you're having a home birth, but hospitals can be pretty rigid. Yikes...

 

[ttc126]

Megan, hahaha! Love the plan but some of the pictures make me laugh!!!! Like the scissors next to the mom on the episiotomy. I know I'm probably hormonal and it may not actually be that funny lol!!!! But really, it sounds like a manageable plan I'm sure you'll get a very good experience

Feronia, any magnet update?

Crissyhae, congrats! Great news

Swan, i didn't know it won't really help if you already tore! Good to know!

Melly, I'm sure you'll be having an early birth, especially with an irritable uterus. I bet you've only got 10 weeks or so to go! Just a guess
To answer your question, anti-kell antibodies cross the placenta and kill off any blood cells that are kell positive. This makes the baby very anemic and can cause hydrops, a fatal condition. So i will know more of a plan after today, but most likely, they will be monitoring for anemia very often using a special doppler ultrasound. Then if baby gets anemic, do a blood transfusion into his cord or abdomen. Or I've been told by my hematology dr that they would probably deliver after 32 weeks if there are signs of anemia as it's safer out than in at that point. Most likely, I'm just in for extra monitoring.

Appointment is in 5ish hours!!!!

 

[xxshellsxx]

I love how easy that is to read at a glance Megan! I may make myself something similar using the programme at work x

 

[RaspberryK]

Good luck with your appointment ttc xx

 

[xxshellsxx]

TTC i hope they can do something to help you, this worry must be awful You've had such a stressful pregnancy i can't imagine how much strength that takes to get up each day! x

 

[MellyH]

Yikes, I hope it doesn't come to a transfusion ttc, but I'm sure it will be fine if it does.

 

[Megamegan]

Megan, hahaha! Love the plan but some of the pictures make me laugh!!!! Like the scissors next to the mom on the episiotomy. I know I'm probably hormonal and it may not actually be that funny lol!!!! But really, it sounds like a manageable plan I'm sure you'll get a very good experience

Feronia, any magnet update?

Crissyhae, congrats! Great news

Swan, i didn't know it won't really help if you already tore! Good to know!

Melly, I'm sure you'll be having an early birth, especially with an irritable uterus. I bet you've only got 10 weeks or so to go! Just a guess
To answer your question, anti-kell antibodies cross the placenta and kill off any blood cells that are kell positive. This makes the baby very anemic and can cause hydrops, a fatal condition. So i will know more of a plan after today, but most likely, they will be monitoring for anemia very often using a special doppler ultrasound. Then if baby gets anemic, do a blood transfusion into his cord or abdomen. Or I've been told by my hematology dr that they would probably deliver after 32 weeks if there are signs of anemia as it's safer out than in at that point. Most likely, I'm just in for extra monitoring.

Appointment is in 5ish hours!!!!

Good luck with your appointment! Good that they are monitoring you closely but I also hope you won't need a transfusion or early delivery.

As for the photos- yes they are funny!! Always nice to add some levity to something like birth! This thing was super easy to make using powerpoint and the photos from this lady's blog (which I posted a link to on my pregnancy journal)... as far as I know the hospital doesn't require a specific format for a birth plan and if they say they do, I don't really care, this is what they're getting from me. It's the least of my worries- haha.

 

[ttc126]

Shells, I'm really ok! I'm sure this is nothing compared to carrying twins! I'm sure I'm much more comfortable physically then you or melly or savvy

Really everything stressful so far has turned out to be a better safe than sorry situation and I truly hope this will be the same.

You ladies are so wonderful!

 

[xxshellsxx]

I'm glad you feel ok with it all, i'd be a wreck by now i know i would! lol If we're going on comfort i reckon you might be right, but i'd take discomfort over worry and stress any day of the week! This pregnancy has been text book *touch wood* I worried until my scan at 9 weeks.... after that i've relaxed and love it. The SPD pain.... yeah it's tough going but i can live with it.

Talking of SPD pains - it was recommended by a midwife last night at my antenatal classes i go to aquanatal classes (which happened to be today) so i made a decision to go and actually feel ok after them. The pain is no worse and hopefully this will help tighten muscle around the pelvis to help.

Raspberry is joining me next week

 

[Megamegan]

Shells- swimming in the pool usually doesn't bother me either! (Although I'm on a break right now bc I have a cold...) but yoga does really hurt. But I'm continuing the yoga so that I can strengthen as well. I read on spinningbabies.com that good chiropractic care can dramatically help SPD pain because of alignment of pelvic bones and ligaments. There is someone near me who does the Webster technique but we haven't decided to spend the money on it yet.

 

[xxshellsxx]

Megan i can't swim properly with this belly - such a weird sensation lol This aquanatal is light aerobic exercise in 'shallow' water (up to my chin! lol) you do things at your own pace and it was lovely - i took it easy not knowing how i was going to feel afterwards, but felt ok (once i got used to all that weight being back on my pelvis).

 

[MellyH]

I had been doing aqua aerobics three times a week but I've stopped now that I've been told to take it easy, until I talk to my OB on Monday.

 

[RaspberryK]

Aquanatal is lovely, so much more gentle than normal aqua aerobics which I've always enjoyed pre pregnancy.

I'm really looking forward to going next week xx

 

[SurpriseBub]

It is do nice that you guys can meet up in real life! I will have to look into some pregnancy and new mum groups nearby

 

[Captain]

I was so hoping they would do aquanatal classes in my town, but I haven't been able to find any. I'm thinking of going to the pool today, OH is interested in coming too as it'll be good for his knee, so good motivation to keep going!

 

[Feronia]

ttc126, that must be sooo stressful, fingers and toes are crossed that everything goes well and that baby doesn't have to have a transfusion or be delivered early.

My midwife gave me some exercises to do for SPD. She said that if you lie down on your back with your legs open into a butterfly position (knees open, feet together) it helps to "reset" the pelvis. There's a video here that gives some tips, too: https://youtu.be/aVW7lalrwxE I'm going to try to do some swimming as well, though it's hard with a toddler. Yoga really puts me in pain for a while afterwards as well!

No magnets yet. I just got a call from the hospital wanting me to bring her in now for another x-ray, but I talked them into tomorrow morning... I don't know what to do. I know foreign bodies can take more time than this, and putting her through the x-rays was really traumatic, but I also know it can be bad if they're stuck together since they can cause a hole in the small intestine. I'd like to wait at least 3 days though, it hasn't even been 48 hours. Ugh.

 

[xxshellsxx]

Feronia i will be trying that set of exercises when i get back from taking DH to the dentist! (yes... i have to take DH to the dentist to make sure he goes in, he's terrified of them - this is a new one so could take some coaxing )

Hope DD has passed those magnets by tomorrow morning so you can avoid any further treatment! x