Stupid question Sunday 2/1/15

[yianna]

Well, the purpose it to keep germs/bacteria away from your uterus and to keep things plugged, like a cork.

And believe me, you will know when you lose your plug, or start losing pieces of it. For many FTM it'll happen earlier than STM/TTM. I started losing my plug with my ODS at around 36 weeks, and it was thick, almost like jello in consistency and yellowish/brown in color. As I got further along, and continued to lose it, it became a bit thinner in consistency and would often be pink tinged.

Hope that helps - and please do not google Mucus Plug. You won't eat for weeks. It's pretty gross to see someone else's MP on TP. Blegh.

[mlbrooks]

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

[shmee]

Feb 1, 2015 8:27:48 GMT -5 mlbrooks said:

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

BH feel like intense cramps and the baby moving feels like, well, a baby moving inside of you

Edit - sorry that isn't meant to sound snarky I just don't know how else to describe it

[mlbrooks]

Feb 1, 2015 8:30:57 GMT -5 shmee said:

Feb 1, 2015 8:27:48 GMT -5 mlbrooks said:

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

BH feel like intense cramps and the baby moving feels like, well, a baby moving inside of you

Edit - sorry that isn't meant to sound snarky I just don't know how else to describe it

Yeah I've read up on it but most things say like menstrual cramps but they are not painful. And I've actually only had menstrual cramps like 2-3x my whole life.

And baby's movement has been different lately. Lots of small movement all over and like he is pushing up against me in certain areas because it gets really hard to the touch.

[jenari]

Feb 1, 2015 8:34:01 GMT -5 petrichor said:

Feb 1, 2015 8:27:48 GMT -5 mlbrooks said:

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

For me Braxton Hicks causes a tightening of the stomach and makes it kind of look like a little ball.

When DS is moving my whole stomach isn't tight. Sometimes there is a hard spot (his head or butt) when he gets in a certain position but most of the time his movement is kicks or pokes.

This exactly. My stomach is as hard as a rock when having BH's. And it tends to come in waves like contractions but with no real pain or consistency. It can be uncomfortable but not painful.

[sunshyneshay]

Feb 1, 2015 8:27:48 GMT -5 mlbrooks said:

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

Braxton Hicks makes my belly super hard almost like when you get a Leg cramp, it's so tight!

[hotcoconuts82]

Do boy babies grow faster than girls? My girls both followed the clothing ranges exactly (stayed in 0-3 until 3 months) But, It seems like my nephews are growing rapidly.

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2015 8:53:31 GMT -5 hotcoconuts82 said:

Do boy babies grow faster than girls? My girls both followed the clothing ranges exactly (stayed in 0-3 until 3 months) But, It seems like my nephews are growing rapidly.

I would think your nephews are just growing quickly and that is not a "rule" that boys grow faster. I have a brother who grew slower than all of us girls in the family.

[Deleted]

Feb 1, 2015 8:57:37 GMT -5 petrichor said:

Feb 1, 2015 8:48:40 GMT -5 beeorange said:

My LO is breech, I know it's not an issue this early but when does it become worrisome if he doesn't flip?

My other two boys were breech and never flipped (but I had a uterine septum and they had no room).

I think it's basically when they run out of room (late 3rd tri?) but I've also heard of babies flipping on their own the day before they are born.

All anecdotal. I don't have a specific answer. Sorry!

My cousin's baby was breech and flipped just a few days before she was born. So like PP said I'm sure it can happen any time.

[yianna]

Feb 1, 2015 8:48:40 GMT -5 beeorange said:

My LO is breech, I know it's not an issue this early but when does it become worrisome if he doesn't flip?

Your LO is likely flipping a ton right now. 

When I was 28 weeks with my second, we learned he was breech and I decided to go to see a Chiro certified in Webster.  He ended up flipping head down around 32 weeks, then flipped transverse at 36 weeks, and back to head down around 36.5 weeks.  It was definitely a trying time for me because I was also diagnosed with high fluid (which was why he could summersault in there).  

But, it becomes worrisome around 34 weeks or so, so if you know LO is breech in the third, look up spinning babies and use those techniques.  They do help - but like other PP have said, some babies flip while in labor!!  Some don't.  Even with all the techniques you can think of to help baby go and stay head down. 

And breech v-deliveries can be done, but many OBs won't even try them any more.  If baby stays breech, your OB will talk to you about options.

[la79al]

I never noticed losing my mucus plug with either of my girls.  Babies can usually move head down anytime right up until birth.  And I have no idea what Braxton Hicks feel like compared to baby movement.  Apparently I am oblivious to what is going on with my body when I'm pregnant .

[tomatopie]

Last night I got up to pee and as I sat up i felt something catch under my ribs. All of my common sense and education immediately fails me and I'm sure I've squished the baby's head between my ribs and abs/organ. So my stupid question is: that doesn't happen, right?

[la79al]

Feb 1, 2015 9:11:05 GMT -5 tomatopie said:

Last night I got up to pee and as I sat up i felt something catch under my ribs. All of my common sense and education immediately fails me and I'm sure I've squished the baby's head between my ribs and abs/organ. So my stupid question is: that doesn't happen, right?

Pretty sure that doesn't happen but last week I bent over and heard a popping type noise that seemed to come from right above my belly button.  I was worried about the same thing but LO seems to be fine.  

[shmee]

beeorange don't stress about it now! DD was breech til about 37 weeks and flipped on her own. A lot can change in the next few months

[nurserachel22]

Did any of you have severe upper back pain most of your pregnancy? Mine started a couple weeks ago and it is enough to have me in tears by end of day. I just had my first chiro visit, so maybe that will help. At times it is the worst thing ever. Enough to make me say I'm not sure about 2-3 kids. I know pain is part of the process, but this is crazy.

[honeylemon]

Feb 1, 2015 9:26:35 GMT -5 shmee said:

beeorange don't stress about it now! DD was breech til about 37 weeks and flipped on her own. A lot can change in the next few months

Agreed. They can flip tons right up until birth and even during labor (although I think switching from breech to head down during labor is pretty rare). Iris moved a TON during labor.

BUT, it wouldn't hurt to start doing some Spinning Babies exercises now to encourage optimal positioning. If you do them every night, at least you'll know you did everything you could to get him head down.

beeorange

[evpwed]

I was talking to a friend yesterday who said she was 3cm dialated and her cervix was thinned by 75% but her Dr said she might still have a couple weeks left. I was so confused. I just assumed once you started dialating it was go time. Is it pretty standard to start dialating weeks prior to birth?

[jerseyakl]

My LO was breech at the first a/s and 3 weeks later I was convinced she still was because the only movement I could feel was very low so I assumed that was where she was kicking. At the next scan (she did not fully cooperate the first time), she was head down but I have an anterior placenta which explained that I was feeling. That likely does not help, beeorange but I thought I would share!

My stupid question is about movement. Between last week and this week, movement feels really different. It seems like smaller, big movements rather than frequent smaller movement. Again-anterior placenta so I can only feel really low down. Logic says this is normal as the baby grows and has less rooms (she isn't doing somersaults all the time when she doesn't have the room) but it still makes me curious. Also because she has been a bit more lax since the GD test. Any thoughts on this?

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 3:48:44 GMT -5 bwisco123 said:

Flame free stupid question time!!! What do you have this week??

Mine is about the mucus plug. What is its purpose and will I for sure lose it before LO arrives??? I'm too terrified to google and see gross pictures.
A general description is good enough!

It's basically a blob of tissue that "seals" the cervix while you are pregnant. TMI- I lost mine fairly noticeably with both prior pregnancies. With baby 1 I lost it less than 24 hours before labor started. It was stringy and mucousy like snot. It had some more "solid" type pieces of clumpy stuff and I was 99% sure of what it was. With baby 2 I lost in in bits & pieces over the course of about 5 days before I went into labor. I'd notice some in the toilet or when I wiped. Some people lose it early and it regenerates. Some people never notice it at all. It's one of those things that can mean labor is coming or can mean absolutely nothing.

[honeylemon]

Feb 1, 2015 10:08:36 GMT -5 evpwed said:

I was talking to a friend yesterday who said she was 3cm dialated and her cervix was thinned by 75% but her Dr said she might still have a couple weeks left. I was so confused. I just assumed once you started dialating it was go time. Is it pretty standard to start dialating weeks prior to birth?

Unfortunately yes. I had two weeks of "early labor" contractions before my second was born. I was dilated the whole time. A week prior to her birth I was 4cm. When we finally went to the hospital the evening before my EDD, I was 7 cm and still not feeling active labor. She wasn't born for another 12 hours. Good times.

ETA: and with my first, I was barely a fingertip dilated at my 38 week appointment, went into spontaneous labor the next day, and he was born only 4.5 hours later.

Lesson of the day: have no expectations.

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 8:27:48 GMT -5 mlbrooks said:

Sorry FTM here. How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and the baby moving?

BH to me feels like the entire uterus getting tight and hard. It's an all over feeling and sometimes uncomfortable/makes it hard to take a deep breath. As baby gets bigger some movements can feel similar but it's more like a balled up hard spot in one place or on one side. Sometimes it can even make your bump look pretty crooked. If it's the baby curled up in one spot, I usually rub that spot and the baby will "move away".

[honeylemon]

Feb 1, 2015 10:18:36 GMT -5 @kendra1992 said:

My friend told me when I get out of bed I shouldn't sit up using my stomach muscles at all I should roll. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that I heard it was good to use them. Is she right?

Later on it will be more difficult to use those muscles but you definitely shouldn't purposefully stop. You're going to want all your muscles to be strong and ready for labor.

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 8:48:40 GMT -5 beeorange said:

My LO is breech, I know it's not an issue this early but when does it become worrisome if he doesn't flip?

Some drs/midwives will do an US aroung 36 weeks to check position- around that time or maybe a couple weeks before is when I would "worry". And not saying that you should worry. My 2nd was breech for a long time and I asked them to do a quick US at 34 weeks and luckily he had flipped by then. Some drs can tell position by feeling around on your belly. I'm not sure what's routine but my last OB and current one will do an US at 36 weeks and if baby is breech, consider an external cephalic version where they try to get the baby to flip by pushing around on your belly (it's done in the hospital, sometimes with an epidural). They might induce you right after to keep baby from flipping back. If there's any complications they may do an emergency C section. For me i wanted to avoid this at all costs so I did inversions from the spinning babies website and the "frozen peas" trick (bag of peas at the top of the bump- baby "swims" away from the cold).

Me doing my inversions...

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 8:53:31 GMT -5 hotcoconuts82 said:

Do boy babies grow faster than girls? My girls both followed the clothing ranges exactly (stayed in 0-3 until 3 months) But, It seems like my nephews are growing rapidly.

Nope- just depends on the baby. DS1 was in true to size clothes throughout baby/toddler-hood (at 6months he wore 6 months etc). DS2 started out bigger than his brother then didn't grow as fast and was tiny (5th %ile) and always in a size smaller than his age- he is 24 months almost and still wears some 18 month stuff. 

[Starbuck128]

Feb 1, 2015 8:48:40 GMT -5 beeorange said:

My LO is breech, I know it's not an issue this early but when does it become worrisome if he doesn't flip?

My MW was concerned at my 34 week appointment. She said after 34 weeks they don't move as much and may have a position preference, so after 34 weeks is when she starts looking up options to turn the baby.

I had luck once with just lots of walking, and once with spinning babies. However, he also almost made it to transverse at about 7 cm into labor.

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 10:08:36 GMT -5 evpwed said:

I was talking to a friend yesterday who said she was 3cm dialated and her cervix was thinned by 75% but her Dr said she might still have a couple weeks left. I was so confused. I just assumed once you started dialating it was go time. Is it pretty standard to start dialating weeks prior to birth?

I was 4cm for almost a week before labor with DS1. It can happen a little bit at a time. Good news is when she goes into labor, she's already 3cm!

[honeylemon]

Feb 1, 2015 10:33:08 GMT -5 beeorange said:

Feb 1, 2015 10:31:48 GMT -5 Starbuck128 said:

My MW was concerned at my 34 week appointment. She said after 34 weeks they don't move as much and may have a position preference, so after 34 weeks is when she starts looking up options to turn the baby.

I had luck once with just lots of walking, and once with spinning babies. However, he also almost made it to transverse at about 7 cm into labor.

So what happens if they change position during labor? Like from head down to breech or transverse?

Iris moved from posterior to transverse to acynclitic (head down but came through birth canal with her head tilted) during my labor. If I hadn't had a calm MW, I would have been sent for a cesarean the instant she was transverse. But instead, she had me switch positions and Iris moved back down on her own.

[mpiemont]

Feb 1, 2015 10:10:40 GMT -5 jerseyakl said:

My LO was breech at the first a/s and 3 weeks later I was convinced she still was because the only movement I could feel was very low so I assumed that was where she was kicking. At the next scan (she did not fully cooperate the first time), she was head down but I have an anterior placenta which explained that I was feeling. That likely does not help, beeorange but I thought I would share!

My stupid question is about movement. Between last week and this week, movement feels really different. It seems like smaller, big movements rather than frequent smaller movement. Again-anterior placenta so I can only feel really low down. Logic says this is normal as the baby grows and has less rooms (she isn't doing somersaults all the time when she doesn't have the room) but it still makes me curious. Also because she has been a bit more lax since the GD test. Any thoughts on this?

Movement definitely changes as baby gets bigger. You'll feel less small kicks/punches and bigger rolling type movements.

[mlbrooks]

Feb 1, 2015 10:37:11 GMT -5 mpiemont said:

Feb 1, 2015 10:10:40 GMT -5 jerseyakl said:

My LO was breech at the first a/s and 3 weeks later I was convinced she still was because the only movement I could feel was very low so I assumed that was where she was kicking. At the next scan (she did not fully cooperate the first time), she was head down but I have an anterior placenta which explained that I was feeling. That likely does not help, beeorange but I thought I would share!

My stupid question is about movement. Between last week and this week, movement feels really different. It seems like smaller, big movements rather than frequent smaller movement. Again-anterior placenta so I can only feel really low down. Logic says this is normal as the baby grows and has less rooms (she isn't doing somersaults all the time when she doesn't have the room) but it still makes me curious. Also because she has been a bit more lax since the GD test. Any thoughts on this?

Movement definitely changes as baby gets bigger. You'll feel less small kicks/punches and bigger rolling type movements.

I feel like I am feeling the rolling movements more now which is why I wasn't sure if those were baby or BH. Good to know.

[Starbuck128]

Feb 1, 2015 10:33:08 GMT -5 beeorange said:

Feb 1, 2015 10:31:48 GMT -5 Starbuck128 said:

My MW was concerned at my 34 week appointment. She said after 34 weeks they don't move as much and may have a position preference, so after 34 weeks is when she starts looking up options to turn the baby.

I had luck once with just lots of walking, and once with spinning babies. However, he also almost made it to transverse at about 7 cm into labor.

So what happens if they change position during labor? Like from head down to breech or transverse?

I think usually it's a c/s. I was having a home birth with MWs. They did belly sifting with a rebozo after they noticed him moving, and after about 15 minutes, he moved back into position.

spinningbabies.com/techniques/activities-for-fetal-positioning/rebozo-sifting