Plus-Size Pregnancy

[KEslinger]

Alyssa is still a girl!
Measuring exactly at 18+5. Big ol' belly despite my lack of weight gain (0 pounds! yay. lol) She looks great. HR: 160bpm.
At my next appointment there wasn't much to do... checked my weight, good news. blood pressure, right on target this time, though we are monitoring it at each appointment. Got to hear the heartbeat on doppler. And, the radiologist had already written the report, the baby looks great but because she was sleeping (in breech, face down) they couldn't get a good shot of her nose/lips. My doctor said everything else looks fine and she's healthy, but the radiologist will request another ultrasound. Doesn't bother me, I love to see her.
Next appointment. STUPID. Nutrition Consultation, went over everything I already know and nothing I didn't. I had to explain to her what my endocrinologist had taught me and told me about my fasting blood sugar. I had to explain to her that their idiets don't work for me and even metformin didn't keep my fasting in check (it's never at a diabetic level, just slightly elevated)... $40 copay for NOTHING. Irritating. But, whatever. =)

Next appointment is 2/8 for a recheck. We won't do the glucola test until 26 or 28 weeks. After 30 weeks they'll start rechecking every 2 weeks instead of every 4 weeks. I'm not sure when they're going to reschedule my ultrasound for.

Did the hospital tour... decided that I'm not going to tour the second hospital, I'm going to stick with the one that's closer even though one of our clients from my work is an ob/gyn nurse there. It's a nice facility, it's convenient. Great birthing suites and nice postpartum rooms. They have 20 private and 6 semi private and they book the rooms on first come first serve. My only reservation would be getting that stupid semiprivate but it's highly unlikely that 26 women will be recovering at the same time at the same hospital. They fill the private rooms first, then fill the semi private ones with 1 person at a time until they have to double up (which has only had to be done once like 10 years ago... LOL). Great nursery, great NICU. Bunch of other perks too. They do have a room with a labor tub, they said it's usually the last to go and if you don't want to use it, you don't have to have a nonmedicated birth, you just stare at the tub. However, they do try to keep it open for those who request it - those wishing to have a non-medicated birth. The recovery for c-section room is lame. But you're only in it for a couple of hours.

Now I have to register for my other classes later (in April)... hoping to take my Lamaze in March/April, and the other preparing for childbirth class in April to early May (I want to take the expedited class, 2 days instead of 5 sessions). I'm skipping the midpregnancy class, only doing late pregnancy, breastfeeding, & newborn care. Soooooooooo much to do. LOL

Your hospital sounds awesome, may I ask which it is? If you don't want to post you could PM me. My family is being a little squicky about my 'crunchy' ideas of a birthing center and are really pushing for a hospital birth.

I have Kaiser for insurance so I go to one of their facilities. All of them, for the most part, push the classes and what not. They're free to members, I don't remember how much for non-members (some of them are for members only), the childbirth prep class, so far for me, is the only one that has a copay for it. I'm contemplating cancelling it and just going with the Lamaze class. I don't know, though. We'll see. I never really liked Kaiser, I did move recently, and transferred to a different hospital, different doctors, etc, and this experience has been a lot better.

There's nothing wrong with going to a birthing center if you're low risk!!! I keep going back and forth between a natural childbirth and a walking epidural (I don't want the full one). I think I had posted before, a RN friend of mine told me to remember "you don't get a trophy for going natural"... LOL made me laugh for a minute. I guess I need to figure it all out, or think about it some more. If I decide that I want to go natural I definitely want the labor tub. Kaiser doesn't do water births, but they will let you labor in the tub. They also ecourage you to move around, use a birthing ball, get in the shower, etc.

 

[KEslinger]

So, I thought that OH and I had discussed the whole no people during labor and delivery. Boy was I wrong. Apparently he didn't understand that I didn't want ANYONE in there... until after the baby is born.

If I do have people come up to visit while I'm in labor (and at this point in time my doula friend and other conversations have helped me decide that I can try to go natural) how should I and when should I tell them to take a hike? I know there are different phases of labor and transitional is the worst (8-10cm)... so do I have people come up after I'm admitted and it isn't that bad?

I know I can be in labor for hours, or even a day or so... LOL Why is deciding this so hard?

 

[izzy29]

Can I join u girls too? I am uk 18. Still carrying 1.5 stone from having my first baby so starting off not that far from my full term weight! I really don't want to put on much at all. I am exercising but have been all year and didn't lose any. I am worried they are going to give off to me at the hospital, or embarrass me in front of my oh about my weight at my first scan if I am lucky enough to make it to then. Also I think the will make me go consultant led rather than midwife led because of my weight.

 

[Beeka]

Hi ladies

I am quite overweight and pregnant with my second. I am off to the doctor tomorrow and I would like a home birth. Do you think they will say no because I am overweight? No problems delivering number one. I really hope they say it is ok!

 

[niknik1more]

if u dont mind me asking how over weight r u ?? i went up to 17st ish with my 3rd and i was ok to have my home birth

 

[Beeka]

if u dont mind me asking how over weight r u ?? i went up to 17st ish with my 3rd and i was ok to have my home birth

I am 17 stone now. I was 16 with my first and didn't gain anything, in fact i lost weight when pregnant and after giving birth was down to 13.7. Put quite a lot on since then obviously But hoping to not gain this pregnancy either. x

 

[niknik1more]

i think u will be fine to have a home birth as long at ur bp dont go to high u should be fine good luck after i had my little girl i went down to 11.4 worked my ass off but put alot back on i think im going end up about 16 stone at the end of this one x

 

[KendraNoell]

Keslinger- I think what you need to do is include the visitor thing in your birth plan. I know at least at our hospital here you can let the nurses know when you do not want visitors anymore and they will get rid of them for you. I know that when my BFF was in labor the nurses kicked the family out around 9 cm because after 4cm she started dialating super fast.

 

[CaliGinger]

I have Kaiser for insurance so I go to one of their facilities. All of them, for the most part, push the classes and what not. They're free to members, I don't remember how much for non-members (some of them are for members only), the childbirth prep class, so far for me, is the only one that has a copay for it. I'm contemplating cancelling it and just going with the Lamaze class. I don't know, though. We'll see. I never really liked Kaiser, I did move recently, and transferred to a different hospital, different doctors, etc, and this experience has been a lot better.

There's nothing wrong with going to a birthing center if you're low risk!!! I keep going back and forth between a natural childbirth and a walking epidural (I don't want the full one). I think I had posted before, a RN friend of mine told me to remember "you don't get a trophy for going natural"... LOL made me laugh for a minute. I guess I need to figure it all out, or think about it some more. If I decide that I want to go natural I definitely want the labor tub. Kaiser doesn't do water births, but they will let you labor in the tub. They also ecourage you to move around, use a birthing ball, get in the shower, etc.

Wow that's great. My OH's sister gave birth at our local Kaiser a few years ago and she had a horrific time. No private rooms, she wasn't allowed to get up at all while she was laboring, the nurses yelled at her if she needed to use the bathroom, no food or drink. The nurses were rude to all of us after the birth as well, and the only time they were nice is when they were trying to sell us the overpriced newborn photos. It's exactly those reasons that I don't want a hospital birth. I'm so glad that not all Kaisers are like that.

 

[Marisa08]

The Kaiser Hospital in San Diego is fantastic! Now you have a private birthing room but you may not have a private room after birth. But they are friendly they are almost overly nice! lol While I was there (just 18 months ago with my son) they were fabulous! I have heard though other Kaisers aren't so great. I love Kaiser

 

[Marisa08]

When did you ladies find out what you were having? 16 weeks? 20 weeks? Wondering if I would have luck with an early gender scan.

 

[KEslinger]

15+2 @ a 3d place. 18+5 @ my drs. Recheck scan tomorrow as baby was in the wrong position

 

[KendraNoell]

18 weeks on the nose.

 

[KEslinger]

To be more clear, they got a gender shot at my last ultrasound @18+5, but for the anatomy scan they want clear shots of everything, Alyssa was face down (and in breech) so they didn't get a clear shot of her face (with her hand in front of it) ... they'll be repeating it tomorrow. I'm going to ask if they can look at gender again and also get a good profile shot. =)

 

[KEslinger]

I have Kaiser for insurance so I go to one of their facilities. All of them, for the most part, push the classes and what not. They're free to members, I don't remember how much for non-members (some of them are for members only), the childbirth prep class, so far for me, is the only one that has a copay for it. I'm contemplating cancelling it and just going with the Lamaze class. I don't know, though. We'll see. I never really liked Kaiser, I did move recently, and transferred to a different hospital, different doctors, etc, and this experience has been a lot better.

There's nothing wrong with going to a birthing center if you're low risk!!! I keep going back and forth between a natural childbirth and a walking epidural (I don't want the full one). I think I had posted before, a RN friend of mine told me to remember "you don't get a trophy for going natural"... LOL made me laugh for a minute. I guess I need to figure it all out, or think about it some more. If I decide that I want to go natural I definitely want the labor tub. Kaiser doesn't do water births, but they will let you labor in the tub. They also ecourage you to move around, use a birthing ball, get in the shower, etc.

Wow that's great. My OH's sister gave birth at our local Kaiser a few years ago and she had a horrific time. No private rooms, she wasn't allowed to get up at all while she was laboring, the nurses yelled at her if she needed to use the bathroom, no food or drink. The nurses were rude to all of us after the birth as well, and the only time they were nice is when they were trying to sell us the overpriced newborn photos. It's exactly those reasons that I don't want a hospital birth. I'm so glad that not all Kaisers are like that.

I've heard not so great things about them, and actually HATED Kaiser when I was living in a different city. I did the hospital tour already - they have PRIVATE birthing suites, you never share a birthing suite. You go through your entire labor and delivery in there. If you need a c-section, you a prepped in a room that can hold 3 women, you also recover in there for 2 hours before being moved to a "postpartum" room. At the one I'll be going to there are 20 private post partum rooms... and 6 semi-private. They fill all private rooms first, then they start filling the semi-private rooms. They don't start filling them up, they will put 1 woman in each room before they have to double up. It's unlikely that so many women will be recovering at the same time.

I think Kaiser has changed a bit, they do promote a more natural birth. They promote skin-on-skin contact after birth. You're allowed to breastfeed immediately after birth. They DO NOT wait for the cord to stop pulsating before clamping/cutting it. The baby is to be kept DOWN until the cord is clamped. If it isn't the blood can flow back into the placenta. They want you to room-in with your baby. It's your baby, they're there if you need them or if your baby needs some assistance (or for testing). You can have 4 people in your birthing suite with you. In recovery it's a little bit less, 2 people at a time.

They let you walk around. They offer birthing balls in each suite. SOME (very few) facilities have a labor tub in 1 room (it's the last room to go), you can request the room if you plan on going natural. You can labor in the tub but you can't deliver in it.

Labor & Delivery is staffed with Nurse-Midwives. If you're not high-risk, a nurse-midwife will be delivering your baby, not a doctor (unless you request otherwise).

I think the experiences are a bit more personal than they have been in the past.

I decided (for real this time) on a walking epidural before I get to the transitional stage. I will be requesting it for around 7cm.

I have not decided about visitors during labor. I know for a fact I want no one in there after about 7cm. I talked to my mom, she said at first she had wanted people to come say hi, but during the whole process she decided not to, and that's fine. She said that people should NOT be offended. If they are, too bad. I will also make sure that the nurses know that no one is allowed to stay in there more than 5 minutes, and I will NOT be circling through them. Once, and that's it. I think when the time comes I'm going to let OH and the nurses know that I don't want anyone in there. I want it to be more of a bonding time between the two of us and also allow for more focus. I don't want to sound like a huge bitch now, but I'm almost 100% sure that it'll be just me and OH.

I've also decided that those who want to visit with us & the baby need to be current on their TDAP immunization. Sounds kinda pushy/crabby but it's in the best interest of the new baby. I think I may get mine boostered (it's only 5 years old) during my 3rd trimester as the maternal antibodies are transferred to baby and can help with immunity in that sense.

 

[lcTaylor]

Hi again ladies. It's been awhile since I've been on, and it will be rare that I'm back on. I just don't have the time anymore. In my blood work, they found I'm a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis. We are testing the donor to see if he is. If he is, we have some serious things to consider and will most likely do an amnio soon. Also, my mom is very sick and the doctor has run many tests, only to find nothing wrong. They are doing some scans tomorrow and are suspecting cancer. This could be her second battle with cancer. I'm a bit overwhelmed by the thought and the possibility of our child having cystic fibrosis. I'm doing my best to take it one step at a time, but it's hard to keep the emotions at bay.

I wish you all the best with your pregnancies and with your new little ones

 

[KendraNoell]

praying for you LC

 

[Marisa08]

So do you girls think if I book a 3d scan THIS Saturday at 15+5 they may be able to tell gender? I am afraid they will not be able to because I'm overweight

 

[Marisa08]

Hugs LC!

 

[Rosered52]

I'm sorry, Liz. Try not to jump too far ahead on this one, there are a lot of possible good outcomes here and only a couple bad ones. Hang tough, we're pulling for you!