It's September 8th and the baby due date is September 17th so I'm in the final stretch. I know due dates are more an estimate since it seems rare for people to have their baby on that date but it's still around the corner. I know the common assumption is that for first time pregnancies you're likely to be late but a number of studies have shown this to be rumor. From what I read it's most common to deliver mid into week 39 but prior to hitting week 40. The issue with estimates and studies like this is that it all depends on how accurate the date of conception is. Most women don't know when exactly they were ovulating or conceived and many give an estimate on the start date of their last period which is how the due date is determined. So it's all a guessing game.
At this point the baby is full term and according to my OBGYN could be anywhere from 2 weeks early to 2 weeks late. Actually at my check up 2 weeks ago I was already 1cm dilated. Sure that's nothing in terms of labor and pushing out a baby but if I was already dilated about 4 weeks prior to the due date I'd say my baby and body were on their way.
I have mixed feelings on the labor and when I'd want it to happen. I'm so tired or pregnancy, the lack of sleep, the inability to get comfortable, the aches and pains- that sometimes I just want her to be out already. Then when I think about all the work once she is here; the feedings, diaper changing, constant work, crying, lack of sleep. and responsibility I reconsider and want her to stay in a little longer. That and the fear and anxiety of the labor and birth process puts me in no rush for her delivery. I know women have babies every day and it's been like this for centuries but it's hard not to be scared and worried about the birth. It all seems so PAINFUL, difficult, and unpleasant. I worry too about the recovery after and at times that seems to scare me even more. I try to catch myself and divert my attention to something else because like it or not the baby will be coming out and it's unavoidable. My tendency to overanalyze and overthink just hurts me in this situation since it increases my anxiety and does nothing to prepare me for delivery or calm my nerves. So for now it's a waiting game.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
The TMI files: Constipation
After some debate I decided to go ahead and start a series of posts on the ugly truth of pregnancy. I know it may be "too much information," hence the name the TMI files but pregnancy is not all pretty and honestly I hate how much some people sugarcoat it. So, if you would rather not hear some of the ugly truth about my pregnancy and bodily functions I suggest you skip this post... for others- read on.
To date perhaps the worst experience of my pregnancy was a particularly bad constipation day. Constipation during pregnancy is rather common. Your body produces hormones that slow the digestive tract, which causes waste to pass through much slower and more of the liquid to drain out resulting in large, hard, and difficult to pass poops. Gross- I know but I'm just being real and telling it as it is. As you get late into pregnancy the distance between the stomach, which is now up in your chest since the baby pushes all your organs into tight spaces, and the anus is pretty long so it feels as it if it takes even longer for things to make their exit... giving all the waste and poop even more time to sit inside and build up. I found myself in this situation after a few days without a proper bowel movement and I knew there was lots built up inside that didn't want to make it's way out. I was backed up and it was starting to give me pains.
What made this particular day that much worse is that it was a work day. I'm one of those people that feels odd about needing to take a dump while at work. Some people don't care... I do. To make it that much more difficult- my office has the worst bathroom set up EVER. There is one tiny bathroom; and I need to go through my boss's office to reach it. Yeap, that's right- there is one toilet and it's next to my boss's office. I swear the walls are thin and I feel that you can hear what's going on in the other room- so if he has a client I can hear everything being said which makes me think they can hear what is going on inside the toilet. So it's obvious that if you are in the bathroom for a minute it's just a pee break- anything more and everyone knows what's going on inside. And finally there's the risk of embarrassment if any noises or smells come from the bathroom. Again some people might not care about all this, but it gives me anxiety and just makes things so much worse on me and my " ability to do my business" while at work.
So on this particular day, I started to feel early on that I needed to poop but when I got to the toilet I just couldn't squeeze out more than some rabbit pellets. Mind you I'm also trying to go about my business as quickly and quietly as possible because of the stress knowing that someone is on the other side of the wall and no doubt knows what's going on in the bathroom. The result of which was me giving up on my attempt and heading back to my desk only to try again in an hour or two. You can imagine how difficult it was to focus on work and how time seems to stop making the day drag. I also got that heavy & full feeling and it was difficult to sit still or comfortably at my desk. But no matter how many bathroom attempts I made I just couldn't get it out. Perhaps if I got over my pride, groaned and strained and sat on the toilet for 20 minutes I could have gotten it out but I resorted to toughing out the day and waiting to get home; much like I had done on other days.
But when I got home it wasn't any easier. I was no longer worried about how long I sat on the toilet or any noises that might come out. Yet no matter how much I pushed and strained it did no good. I began to worry that I'll either push so hard I get hemorrhoids (another common pregnancy "symptom" from situations like this) or that I'll rip my asshole. I'm not even kidding I really wondered how I was going to get what felt like a baseball sized shit through the tight opening. And then as if I needed anything else to worry about it made me think of the upcoming childbirth and how it will be a similar situation only with a baby head and a different but equally small opening. That just stressed me out more and I took another break. I made a number more bathroom attempts without any luck.
So what do you do next in a situation like this? What else- you Google it and see what info you can find. What I found out from various posts, message boards, and sites is that at this point an enema wasn't going to help me as it sees I had fecal impactment. I also learned that if I leave the poop there it'll just get harder and worse and lead to a trip to the emergency room. And if that happens how will doctors deal with it? Well they can either try an enema, but it'll probably do no good at this point, so they will Vaseline your asshole and go in manually to break apart the poop into smaller pieces and pull them out of your ass. I'm not even kidding- that is how they handle it. And that is a good outcome because if you leave the waste in there for too long you run the risk of other complications. For me the embarrassing idea of going to the doctor to have shit pulled from my ass was enough motivation do whatever I could to avoid the ER and get the poop out ASAP.
So at this point it seemed that I might need to get a pair of gloves, some Vaseline, and go in to break off pieces and pull them out. GROSS. I know and so TMI. I did think of one more option. OK so it might not be much better than option one but still something that ran through my mind; the reason I couldn't get anything out is because the poop had grown large, hardened, and impacted and my anus was just too tense and tight to let it through. So another option was to find a way to relax and stretch the sphincter. When else do people do that? During anal sex. No- don't jump ahead and think that my bf and I had anal sex to get the poop out. I highly doubt he would have gone for it anyway. I can't imagine anyone agreeing to a proposition like "I'm constipated and full of shit- you want to have anal to help get it out?" working on anyone. Still I have heard that anal is good for constipation and if the opening was stretched more open and relaxed it's plausible that the poop would come out. So anal play seemed like option two.
My choices came down to a lubed finger up the butt to pull out the poop, a sex toy up the ass to widen the exit, or a combination of the two. I'm not telling you which option I went with but, although not a proud moment, it worked. Since then I've also done my best to eat small meals and make sure waste passes through my system rather than letting it build. More fluids, fruit, and fiber is a good option too but I had already been doing that. Also my work bathroom anxiety eased up a bit- I stopped caring if I was in the bathroom for long or that co-workers and clients might know is going on in there. Better that then letting anxiety inhibit me from taking a poop when I was able to do so rather than let it get to fecal impaction again. I finally started my maternity leave so the work toilet is a non-issue now. So there you have it- the first of my "too much in formation" posts. I know there will be a few more; not sure if anyone will continue to read my blog after but it's a risk I'll take.
To date perhaps the worst experience of my pregnancy was a particularly bad constipation day. Constipation during pregnancy is rather common. Your body produces hormones that slow the digestive tract, which causes waste to pass through much slower and more of the liquid to drain out resulting in large, hard, and difficult to pass poops. Gross- I know but I'm just being real and telling it as it is. As you get late into pregnancy the distance between the stomach, which is now up in your chest since the baby pushes all your organs into tight spaces, and the anus is pretty long so it feels as it if it takes even longer for things to make their exit... giving all the waste and poop even more time to sit inside and build up. I found myself in this situation after a few days without a proper bowel movement and I knew there was lots built up inside that didn't want to make it's way out. I was backed up and it was starting to give me pains.
What made this particular day that much worse is that it was a work day. I'm one of those people that feels odd about needing to take a dump while at work. Some people don't care... I do. To make it that much more difficult- my office has the worst bathroom set up EVER. There is one tiny bathroom; and I need to go through my boss's office to reach it. Yeap, that's right- there is one toilet and it's next to my boss's office. I swear the walls are thin and I feel that you can hear what's going on in the other room- so if he has a client I can hear everything being said which makes me think they can hear what is going on inside the toilet. So it's obvious that if you are in the bathroom for a minute it's just a pee break- anything more and everyone knows what's going on inside. And finally there's the risk of embarrassment if any noises or smells come from the bathroom. Again some people might not care about all this, but it gives me anxiety and just makes things so much worse on me and my " ability to do my business" while at work.
So on this particular day, I started to feel early on that I needed to poop but when I got to the toilet I just couldn't squeeze out more than some rabbit pellets. Mind you I'm also trying to go about my business as quickly and quietly as possible because of the stress knowing that someone is on the other side of the wall and no doubt knows what's going on in the bathroom. The result of which was me giving up on my attempt and heading back to my desk only to try again in an hour or two. You can imagine how difficult it was to focus on work and how time seems to stop making the day drag. I also got that heavy & full feeling and it was difficult to sit still or comfortably at my desk. But no matter how many bathroom attempts I made I just couldn't get it out. Perhaps if I got over my pride, groaned and strained and sat on the toilet for 20 minutes I could have gotten it out but I resorted to toughing out the day and waiting to get home; much like I had done on other days.
But when I got home it wasn't any easier. I was no longer worried about how long I sat on the toilet or any noises that might come out. Yet no matter how much I pushed and strained it did no good. I began to worry that I'll either push so hard I get hemorrhoids (another common pregnancy "symptom" from situations like this) or that I'll rip my asshole. I'm not even kidding I really wondered how I was going to get what felt like a baseball sized shit through the tight opening. And then as if I needed anything else to worry about it made me think of the upcoming childbirth and how it will be a similar situation only with a baby head and a different but equally small opening. That just stressed me out more and I took another break. I made a number more bathroom attempts without any luck.
So what do you do next in a situation like this? What else- you Google it and see what info you can find. What I found out from various posts, message boards, and sites is that at this point an enema wasn't going to help me as it sees I had fecal impactment. I also learned that if I leave the poop there it'll just get harder and worse and lead to a trip to the emergency room. And if that happens how will doctors deal with it? Well they can either try an enema, but it'll probably do no good at this point, so they will Vaseline your asshole and go in manually to break apart the poop into smaller pieces and pull them out of your ass. I'm not even kidding- that is how they handle it. And that is a good outcome because if you leave the waste in there for too long you run the risk of other complications. For me the embarrassing idea of going to the doctor to have shit pulled from my ass was enough motivation do whatever I could to avoid the ER and get the poop out ASAP.
So at this point it seemed that I might need to get a pair of gloves, some Vaseline, and go in to break off pieces and pull them out. GROSS. I know and so TMI. I did think of one more option. OK so it might not be much better than option one but still something that ran through my mind; the reason I couldn't get anything out is because the poop had grown large, hardened, and impacted and my anus was just too tense and tight to let it through. So another option was to find a way to relax and stretch the sphincter. When else do people do that? During anal sex. No- don't jump ahead and think that my bf and I had anal sex to get the poop out. I highly doubt he would have gone for it anyway. I can't imagine anyone agreeing to a proposition like "I'm constipated and full of shit- you want to have anal to help get it out?" working on anyone. Still I have heard that anal is good for constipation and if the opening was stretched more open and relaxed it's plausible that the poop would come out. So anal play seemed like option two.
My choices came down to a lubed finger up the butt to pull out the poop, a sex toy up the ass to widen the exit, or a combination of the two. I'm not telling you which option I went with but, although not a proud moment, it worked. Since then I've also done my best to eat small meals and make sure waste passes through my system rather than letting it build. More fluids, fruit, and fiber is a good option too but I had already been doing that. Also my work bathroom anxiety eased up a bit- I stopped caring if I was in the bathroom for long or that co-workers and clients might know is going on in there. Better that then letting anxiety inhibit me from taking a poop when I was able to do so rather than let it get to fecal impaction again. I finally started my maternity leave so the work toilet is a non-issue now. So there you have it- the first of my "too much in formation" posts. I know there will be a few more; not sure if anyone will continue to read my blog after but it's a risk I'll take.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Product Review: Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Butter
I should probably begin this by saying that I am the worst person to review a lotion as I am terrible about keeping up with a daily cosmetic routine. That said, after reading lots of information about stretch marks, dry skin, and the need to moisturize while pregnant I thought it was worth while to research and invest in some sort of belly cream or lotion. From what I read Mama Mio had great reviews. They're products can be a bit pricey then again most cosmetics are. So when you compare a daily lotion like this to say a regular face moisturizer by Clinic or any high end product the price point is reasonable. Still I didn't want to order a lotion or cream for $50 bucks only to find it too greasy or heavy and waste my money.
I'm very picky when it comes to the feel of lotion. I can't stand anything that slabs on heavy and seems to weigh down my skin. I was happy to find that Buy Buy Baby carries Mama Mio products and even has samples that you can try. (Sorry, I know it seems I'm pushing Buy Buy Baby but I really do find it a convenient store to shop at for baby stuff). I tried out a number of the skin products that Mama Mio offers and was surprised to like the Tummy Rub Butter the most. Usually any lotion listed as a butter turns me off since it tends to be heavy and greasy but I thought this one rubbed in quickly even though it does have an initial heavy and thick feel. The scent is also nice- not too much but a noticeable lotion scent. Mama Mio has a number of lotions, oils, and creams and even see a "starter sample/ pregnancy kit" but I decided to just go with this one container. The tummy rub butter lists that it should be used daily and can be used from the neck down so it's not just for the belly but can be applied to your boobs, back/ muffin top wrap around area. I don't see why you couldn't use it on arms and legs as well- even though they do see a special leg lotion.
As far as it controlling of limiting the look of stretch marks I can't really tell how well it works because I do not keep up with daily use of the butter and because I'm only developing stretch marks now. I think I'll be able to comment more on this after the baby if/ when stretch marks become more of a concern. For now I do feel that the tummy rub butter is good at moisturizing, limiting dry skin, and limiting the itchiness that comes from skin stretching. This might be a bit TMI (too much info) but as my boobs grew with pregnancy they itched like crazy and I do feel that the tummy rub butter helped keep the skin moisturized and limited the itch. So overall- I like the Tummy Rub Butter by Mama Mio and would recommend it to others as a good moisturizer. Again I can't speak to it's ability to limit stretch marks or make them vanish but as a lotion/ cream I think it does the job.
Below are some other products by Mama Mio. I haven't tried them (well other than in the store) so I can't speak of them but it's just for reference of what else they have to offer. The pricing is from Buy Buy Baby where the photo was taken but Mama Mio products can be bought at other retailers, online on the company site, as well as other online sites such as Amazon. I don't know how prices compare or where the best value is. Oh one more note on Buy Buy Baby, they take Bed Bath and Beyond coupons so I was able to use a 20% off coupon so that helped with the cost factor.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Baby Room
The baby room is finally coming together and it's making it all seem real. A while back we decided that my bedroom would become the baby room. We got almost all of my belongings and furniture out of the room in May. Although my dressers stay there under a tarp for the last two months in anticipation of room painting. It took Teddy much longer than I hoped but the baby room is finally painted. Since I shoulding be around paint fumes Teddy offered to take care of the painting. He primed the walls, painted the ceiling white, and then got the one accent wall before tackling the three remaining walls. It was months of looking at a tarped and taped up room that we nicknamed "the kill room" a la HBO's Dexter; but it's finally done. The walls at least. There's still spots that need touch up paint and the window frame needs painting but we still have time for that.
After getting the painting done, Teddy and his friend moved my dressers out and the furniture that we'll use for the baby in. Teddy also assembled the crib. Is say the room is 70% done. We still have decals to put up and well as some framed pictures and decorations. Besides that it's setting up the baby swing,mobile, and other baby gifts. I also haven't figured out the baby "changing station." I think changing tables are a waste of money and space. I hoped to place a changing pad on top of the dresser and manage that way but now I'm worried the space is too narrow.
The other thing I could use is a seat in the baby room. The only glider (baby rocking chair) that I actually liked is well over $1,000. My mom offered to buy it but I can't let her spend that much on a chair. It's just too much. Even the traditional gliders go for a few hundred dollars which I think is outrageous. Not to mention they are so hideous. You'd think someone would come up with an affordable but practical baby chair. For now I placed an ikea lounge chair in the room but it won't work for me and baby because I can barely get out of the chair now. I'm sure we'll figure something out.
When we get the room all done I'll post more pictures. It's still a work in progress but at least it has a baby room feel to it already. 2 more months to get it all done and welcome the baby.
After getting the painting done, Teddy and his friend moved my dressers out and the furniture that we'll use for the baby in. Teddy also assembled the crib. Is say the room is 70% done. We still have decals to put up and well as some framed pictures and decorations. Besides that it's setting up the baby swing,mobile, and other baby gifts. I also haven't figured out the baby "changing station." I think changing tables are a waste of money and space. I hoped to place a changing pad on top of the dresser and manage that way but now I'm worried the space is too narrow.
The other thing I could use is a seat in the baby room. The only glider (baby rocking chair) that I actually liked is well over $1,000. My mom offered to buy it but I can't let her spend that much on a chair. It's just too much. Even the traditional gliders go for a few hundred dollars which I think is outrageous. Not to mention they are so hideous. You'd think someone would come up with an affordable but practical baby chair. For now I placed an ikea lounge chair in the room but it won't work for me and baby because I can barely get out of the chair now. I'm sure we'll figure something out.
When we get the room all done I'll post more pictures. It's still a work in progress but at least it has a baby room feel to it already. 2 more months to get it all done and welcome the baby.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Registering with Buy Buy Baby
Before being pregnant I rarely stepped foot into a baby store so the idea of registering for baby products seemed overwhelming at first. Just the choices of what store to register at seemed complicated. Sure you have the big company baby chains like Babies R Us and Buy Buy Baby. If you want to be fancy and go the high end route- Bloomingdales and some other department stores have a "baby shop" and offer registries. Then there's Target, Walmart, Kmart, and all of those stores. Lastly, there's the internet and even more possibilities for places to register. I settled on Buy Buy Baby and Amazon.
I went with Amazon for one of my registries (yes, I did more than one). I like the convenience of the internet and Amazon has EVERYTHING. Plus prime members can get free shipping (depending on the product). The thing that sold me on an Amazon registry (other than the convenience) is their "universal button." After installing it, you can browse other websites and link items from other sites into your registry. Sadly, I have yet to figure it out so that I can add the universal button so that I can attach a few items from other sites into my registry. I've gone though the directions a few times and even asked Teddy to do it for me since he's more computer savvy and we still haven't figured it out. If anyone knows how to set up the universal button please message me or comment back on how I can do it.
For my other registry I wanted to pick a store. Some of my guests, like my grandma, don't have a computer nor would they know how to go about using an online registry so I needed a standard store option. I went with Buy Buy Baby for two reasons. 1) they accept Bed Bath & Beyond coupons and 2) I liked their inventory & customer service.
Originally I though I'd go with Babies R Us but I hated their customer service during my initial trip to the store. There were limited associates on the sales floor and when I needed help and information on a stroller I spent 20 minutes waiting for help. Maybe it's a bit harsh to make a quick judgment on one bad experience but I also read a few negative comments online about their return policy. So I gave Buy Buy Baby a shot.
Before beginning my registry I spent hours online ready product reviews, watching youtube videos of parent reviews, and even started following blogs like Baby Gizmo. By the time I went to the store to do my registry I had a huge list of my wants and needs. Turns out I didn't need to do all that research on my own. Buy Buy Baby gives you a booklet of things to consider and register for and they even offer you a personal shopper (free of charge) to walk the store with you, answer your questions, and to make suggestions of useful items. I also didn't realize that I could have done my registry bit by bit rather than spending a half day with a scan gun getting all the items that I wanted. It's ok. I took my mom, rather than Teddy, to complete the registry. We made a day of it. After the initial sign up at the help desk, I was offered water as we are shopping (we got two little bottles) and given a goody bag. I've included a picture of the items in the bag; it was a good mix of coupons, promotions of products, and some samples.
As mentioned before I was offered a personal shopper but I declined since I already know many of the brands and items that I wanted. If I knew the store staff would be so helpful I would have started my registry earlier. Perhaps then Teddy could have come along to do part of it. He decided against it since he know I already had a ton of items in mind and he'd just be bored following me around the store. Had I not research everything first and just worked on sections of the registry at a time he could have been involved. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.
I went with Amazon for one of my registries (yes, I did more than one). I like the convenience of the internet and Amazon has EVERYTHING. Plus prime members can get free shipping (depending on the product). The thing that sold me on an Amazon registry (other than the convenience) is their "universal button." After installing it, you can browse other websites and link items from other sites into your registry. Sadly, I have yet to figure it out so that I can add the universal button so that I can attach a few items from other sites into my registry. I've gone though the directions a few times and even asked Teddy to do it for me since he's more computer savvy and we still haven't figured it out. If anyone knows how to set up the universal button please message me or comment back on how I can do it.
For my other registry I wanted to pick a store. Some of my guests, like my grandma, don't have a computer nor would they know how to go about using an online registry so I needed a standard store option. I went with Buy Buy Baby for two reasons. 1) they accept Bed Bath & Beyond coupons and 2) I liked their inventory & customer service.
Originally I though I'd go with Babies R Us but I hated their customer service during my initial trip to the store. There were limited associates on the sales floor and when I needed help and information on a stroller I spent 20 minutes waiting for help. Maybe it's a bit harsh to make a quick judgment on one bad experience but I also read a few negative comments online about their return policy. So I gave Buy Buy Baby a shot.
Before beginning my registry I spent hours online ready product reviews, watching youtube videos of parent reviews, and even started following blogs like Baby Gizmo. By the time I went to the store to do my registry I had a huge list of my wants and needs. Turns out I didn't need to do all that research on my own. Buy Buy Baby gives you a booklet of things to consider and register for and they even offer you a personal shopper (free of charge) to walk the store with you, answer your questions, and to make suggestions of useful items. I also didn't realize that I could have done my registry bit by bit rather than spending a half day with a scan gun getting all the items that I wanted. It's ok. I took my mom, rather than Teddy, to complete the registry. We made a day of it. After the initial sign up at the help desk, I was offered water as we are shopping (we got two little bottles) and given a goody bag. I've included a picture of the items in the bag; it was a good mix of coupons, promotions of products, and some samples.
As mentioned before I was offered a personal shopper but I declined since I already know many of the brands and items that I wanted. If I knew the store staff would be so helpful I would have started my registry earlier. Perhaps then Teddy could have come along to do part of it. He decided against it since he know I already had a ton of items in mind and he'd just be bored following me around the store. Had I not research everything first and just worked on sections of the registry at a time he could have been involved. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Acupuncture and Physical Therapy for Hip Dysplasia during Pregnancy
As I mentioned in a prior post, I have hip dysplasia. Being pregnant has increased my pain and also limited my treatment and pain management options. My back and hip pain is now accompanied by pain of the entire pelvic bone and sciatic nerve pain that sends a shooting pain from my butt down my leg. The shooting pains come on unexpectedly, usually while I'm walking or when I move to get up. The pain varies from day to day but has progressed along with my pregnancy. I was becoming desperate and willing to try anything; which is how I ended out starting acupuncture.
I have no problems with Western medicine and I do believe that a lot can be said for alternative and holistic medicine/treatments and their healing abilities. My problem is with the needles. I HATE NEEDLES. You'd think I'd get used to it by now because being pregnant doctors are constantly taking my blood, testing this or that. But I still get horribly nervous each time. So the idea of getting pricked with numerous needles and left to "relax" in my human -pin cushion state was not something I wanted to try out. But when the pain gets bad- you'll try ANYTHING to make it stop. And that's how I began acupuncture.
I've been going to acupuncture about a month now. Twice a week after work I let a nice Korean lady named Naomi stick little needles all over my body. I've learned to clench my teeth and remain as still as possible while she works her magic. Each session begins with her asking how I am doing, where my pain is that day, and the severity of it. She then has me lay down either face down or face up or even sitting and proceeds to stick me with needles. As I mentioned before, I hate needles so I try not to look but from my count it's usually between 15 and 25 needles. After she places them all she covers me with a thin aluminum like blanket, dims the lights. and leaves me to relax and let the needles do their work.
Does it hurt? Well that depends. Usually, no. Most times I barely feel the needle but other times there is an instant pressure and pain. Naomi explains it saying that the body is like a roadmap and everything is linked. So if she is treating my hip, she can find a point along that map either on my hand or foot or even elsewhere that is linked to the hip. Sometimes she hits a point on the map that is blocked so its an instant "trigger spot." Those trigger spots are the ones that hurt and that I feel most. For me there is one on the side of my left hand almost at the corner of what I believe is the "life line," and every time I get a needle there (which is almost every section) it hurts. I've learned to brace myself for it. I think it also depends on what part of the body she is placing the needles. In general hands and feet are more painful. Being pregnant there are certain points that she can't stick me with needles so maybe that's why I end out with so many in my hands and feet. Overall it's not too painful and although I can't say that my pain has magically vanished I do find myself feeling better after my sessions now that I learned to relax a bit more.
The center that I do acupuncture at is actually a physical therapy and sports rehab center. When I went for my first acupuncture session I also met with the chiropractor and head physical therapist. I already see a chiropractor elsewhere so I didn't opt to switch. As for physical therapy, my orthopedic advised against it until after the baby was born. The therapist at the center was surprised by this because pt is one of the few things that can help during pregnancy. She agreed that some treatments need to be avoided but there were still exercises and massage treatments that can be used to ease the pain. She offered to speak with my orthopedic and obstetrician.
During my second visit she said she spoke with my doctors and got the approval. Seems my obstetrician was very accommodating where as it seems my orthopedic backpedaled a bit on his earlier statement claiming that he discouraged pt because obstetricians don't take kindly to it. Either way I got the green light and began a series of exercises that will help strengthen my hip bones and core. The other part of my physical therapy includes being stretched out by the therapist, and getting massaged to work out the knots in my back and hip areas and minimize the inflammation to the joints. I admit I love the massage and even though it hurts at times I usually feel better after. The exercises aren't difficult but I sometimes I feel pain while doing them or get sore afterwards. Still I know they are important and with time I hope they won't bother me at all. Overall it's nice to finally have some sort of pain management again. I'm not sure if I'll have the time or continue to go to weekly sessions once the baby is here but for now it helps with the hip, back, and pelvic pain so I just take it day by day and week by week.
I have no problems with Western medicine and I do believe that a lot can be said for alternative and holistic medicine/treatments and their healing abilities. My problem is with the needles. I HATE NEEDLES. You'd think I'd get used to it by now because being pregnant doctors are constantly taking my blood, testing this or that. But I still get horribly nervous each time. So the idea of getting pricked with numerous needles and left to "relax" in my human -pin cushion state was not something I wanted to try out. But when the pain gets bad- you'll try ANYTHING to make it stop. And that's how I began acupuncture.
I've been going to acupuncture about a month now. Twice a week after work I let a nice Korean lady named Naomi stick little needles all over my body. I've learned to clench my teeth and remain as still as possible while she works her magic. Each session begins with her asking how I am doing, where my pain is that day, and the severity of it. She then has me lay down either face down or face up or even sitting and proceeds to stick me with needles. As I mentioned before, I hate needles so I try not to look but from my count it's usually between 15 and 25 needles. After she places them all she covers me with a thin aluminum like blanket, dims the lights. and leaves me to relax and let the needles do their work.
Does it hurt? Well that depends. Usually, no. Most times I barely feel the needle but other times there is an instant pressure and pain. Naomi explains it saying that the body is like a roadmap and everything is linked. So if she is treating my hip, she can find a point along that map either on my hand or foot or even elsewhere that is linked to the hip. Sometimes she hits a point on the map that is blocked so its an instant "trigger spot." Those trigger spots are the ones that hurt and that I feel most. For me there is one on the side of my left hand almost at the corner of what I believe is the "life line," and every time I get a needle there (which is almost every section) it hurts. I've learned to brace myself for it. I think it also depends on what part of the body she is placing the needles. In general hands and feet are more painful. Being pregnant there are certain points that she can't stick me with needles so maybe that's why I end out with so many in my hands and feet. Overall it's not too painful and although I can't say that my pain has magically vanished I do find myself feeling better after my sessions now that I learned to relax a bit more.
The center that I do acupuncture at is actually a physical therapy and sports rehab center. When I went for my first acupuncture session I also met with the chiropractor and head physical therapist. I already see a chiropractor elsewhere so I didn't opt to switch. As for physical therapy, my orthopedic advised against it until after the baby was born. The therapist at the center was surprised by this because pt is one of the few things that can help during pregnancy. She agreed that some treatments need to be avoided but there were still exercises and massage treatments that can be used to ease the pain. She offered to speak with my orthopedic and obstetrician.
During my second visit she said she spoke with my doctors and got the approval. Seems my obstetrician was very accommodating where as it seems my orthopedic backpedaled a bit on his earlier statement claiming that he discouraged pt because obstetricians don't take kindly to it. Either way I got the green light and began a series of exercises that will help strengthen my hip bones and core. The other part of my physical therapy includes being stretched out by the therapist, and getting massaged to work out the knots in my back and hip areas and minimize the inflammation to the joints. I admit I love the massage and even though it hurts at times I usually feel better after. The exercises aren't difficult but I sometimes I feel pain while doing them or get sore afterwards. Still I know they are important and with time I hope they won't bother me at all. Overall it's nice to finally have some sort of pain management again. I'm not sure if I'll have the time or continue to go to weekly sessions once the baby is here but for now it helps with the hip, back, and pelvic pain so I just take it day by day and week by week.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Glucose Screening Test (Pregnancy Sugar Test)
Between weeks 24- 28 of pregnancy it's standard to get a glucose screening test done. The test checks for gestational diabetes; diabetes that begins or is found during pregnancy. A woman can develop diabetes while pregnant and the diabetes can either wane off after pregnancy or continue. Kind of weird but I guess it one of the many changes that can occur with pregnancy; as if there wasn't enough to worry about.
Anyhow, when I was about 25 weeks pregnant I went in for the glucose screening. My doctor instructed me not to eat or drink anything prior to the test (water was ok). My test was scheduled for the morning (9:30 am) so that I could come in soon after waking up. I was given a sugary drink when I arrived.
You're instructed to drink it within 10 minutes and report back on when I was done. They then have you sit for an hour. You're not supposed to eat or drink anything as it can taint the results. After the hour is up, your blood is taken and then sent to a lab to test the amout of sugar on the blood. If the levels come back high then there's a chance the mother developed gestational diabetes and a second, longer test is ordered. The second test is a three hour test. It's similar to the one hour except that you repeat the cycle and have to drink the glucose drink, sit, give blood, sit more, drink another glucose drink, wait more, give blood agajn, etc.
I was worried about the test because I heard the drink is terrible and some people can't hold it down. I was worried I'd vomit and be instructed to come back another time to be retested. Actually the drink wasn't too bad in taste. It was like an in carbonated very sweet orange drink. It's given to you cold which helps. I found that as I got half way through the bottle the taste seemed more sugary and gross. But not too bad. I finished it in about 7minutes. After about 10 minutes the sugary taste was still stuck in my mouth and I wished for water. Then I started feeling a bit nauseated. Apparently it's one of man y possible side effects; see the bottle:
Anyhow, when I was about 25 weeks pregnant I went in for the glucose screening. My doctor instructed me not to eat or drink anything prior to the test (water was ok). My test was scheduled for the morning (9:30 am) so that I could come in soon after waking up. I was given a sugary drink when I arrived.
You're instructed to drink it within 10 minutes and report back on when I was done. They then have you sit for an hour. You're not supposed to eat or drink anything as it can taint the results. After the hour is up, your blood is taken and then sent to a lab to test the amout of sugar on the blood. If the levels come back high then there's a chance the mother developed gestational diabetes and a second, longer test is ordered. The second test is a three hour test. It's similar to the one hour except that you repeat the cycle and have to drink the glucose drink, sit, give blood, sit more, drink another glucose drink, wait more, give blood agajn, etc.
I was worried about the test because I heard the drink is terrible and some people can't hold it down. I was worried I'd vomit and be instructed to come back another time to be retested. Actually the drink wasn't too bad in taste. It was like an in carbonated very sweet orange drink. It's given to you cold which helps. I found that as I got half way through the bottle the taste seemed more sugary and gross. But not too bad. I finished it in about 7minutes. After about 10 minutes the sugary taste was still stuck in my mouth and I wished for water. Then I started feeling a bit nauseated. Apparently it's one of man y possible side effects; see the bottle:
The hour went by slowly and I was dying for some water to kill the sugary taste in my mouth but I stuck it out. After the hour was up, they drew some blood and I was free to leave. I was told the results take a few days and they'd call if anything was up or if they need to re-test.
As I left the office the nausea seemed to get worse and I regretted going to the appointment alone. Motion make the nausea worse. As time went on I was feeling worse and I began to shake uncontrollably. I had a quick taco and that helped calm the shakes but I still felt off. I could feel the large amounts of sugar in my system and as my body tired to process it I felt extremely weak. I continued to feel this way for the rest of the day. NOT FUN. It's a good thing I didn't need to go back to work after the glucose test because I couldn't have done it. I was so weak and sick feeling that I took a two hour mid day nap. It helped a little but it wasn't until hours later and after lots of carb foods that I felt better. My advise to anyone that needs to do this test:
- plan to make a day of it. Everyone responds differently but it seems a number of people get sick during or after the test so if you can afford a day off of work- take it just in case.
- relax, lay down and just wait it out. Time seems to be the only thing that helps.
- try to get some carbs in your stomach; I don't know why but it seems to help.
As for my results, I haven't heard anything back so I assume they were fine. I'm sure if there was any indication of possible diabetes I would have been called to schedule the 3 hour test.
Yeay! Another baby-related test passed with flying colors.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
20 week anatomy ultrasound
My obstetrician gave me a referral to get a special ultrasound that checks the baby's developing organs. The office that I went to had a great set up with a big wall mounted screen up on the wall opposite the patient table and the ultrasound machine with its standard size screen next to the table were the doctor sat. It was nice not to have to huddle around one screen to see the baby. The only downfall was that my baby wasn't co-operating and we had a spine view for majority of the screening. We had to take a break and they had me lay on my side, drink something, eat something, & walk around to sway the baby to move into a different position which she eventually did.
During the ultrasound, the doctor took lots of measurements of the organs, head, bone lengths of the arms & legs, as well as checking out the heart, brain, and everything else. It's pretty amazing how much can be seen and inspected while the baby is still in the womb.
I'm sure it's usually a quicker process when you have a baby that cooperates. My little one was comfy in fetal position so it took some coaxing her to get all the necessary angles to screen all the organs. It took 3 hours when I went but I left knowing the baby is healthy and she's developing well. I also got a few photos from all the images taken during the screening. For those interested in seeing the ultrasound pictures check out Baby 20 week anatomy ultrasound images. That's it for now. Thanx for checking in on me & baby.
During the ultrasound, the doctor took lots of measurements of the organs, head, bone lengths of the arms & legs, as well as checking out the heart, brain, and everything else. It's pretty amazing how much can be seen and inspected while the baby is still in the womb.
I'm sure it's usually a quicker process when you have a baby that cooperates. My little one was comfy in fetal position so it took some coaxing her to get all the necessary angles to screen all the organs. It took 3 hours when I went but I left knowing the baby is healthy and she's developing well. I also got a few photos from all the images taken during the screening. For those interested in seeing the ultrasound pictures check out Baby 20 week anatomy ultrasound images. That's it for now. Thanx for checking in on me & baby.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Is it a Boy or Girl?
So both Teddy and I hope to have a boy. Teddy, like all guys, wants a boy to do guy stuff with and pass on his manly wisdom. I want a boy because I like boy clothes and toys more. I love all the skull decal clothes for boys, camo print pants, and idea of cutting my kid's hair into a mohawk or at least a faux-hawk. I also prefer legos and toy cars to dolls. Plus I think guys are easier in the teen/ puberty years (I base that on how much of a pain in the ass bitch I was back then).
As I mentioned in my last post- a panorama test provides results on the baby sex because the test can tell if the sex chromosomes as XX (girl) or XY (boy). So when we got the results of odds of our baby having birth defects we were also given the option to find out the baby's sex. Some people chose to wait for the birth and be surprised but we wanted to know. AND..........
Teddy and I were both a little bummed but the baby is healthy and that's what is most important. I HATE pink and am far from being a girly girl so I'm worried that luck will bring me a daughter that will be obsessed with pink, frilly things, and everything super girly. Meanwhile Teddy is already dreading the teenage years and all the boys that will try dating his daughter; "it's karma coming back to me for the way I treated girls when I was younger," says Teddy. Other aspects of having a girl that we dread are pre-teen know-it-all mood swings, puberty, periods, worrying she'll get knocked up before finishing high school, and the price tag of her wedding that we'll one day be paying (although that tradition is dying out a bit). As you can tell we are kinda heavy on the cons and low on pros of having a baby girl- so if you have any positives you want to share... feel free to comment. Like I said- the major pro is that we are having a healthy baby... so if nothing else that one pro outweighs all the cons. I know we'll both love her tremendously regardless if all our fears come true.
As I mentioned in my last post- a panorama test provides results on the baby sex because the test can tell if the sex chromosomes as XX (girl) or XY (boy). So when we got the results of odds of our baby having birth defects we were also given the option to find out the baby's sex. Some people chose to wait for the birth and be surprised but we wanted to know. AND..........
It's a Girl!
Teddy and I were both a little bummed but the baby is healthy and that's what is most important. I HATE pink and am far from being a girly girl so I'm worried that luck will bring me a daughter that will be obsessed with pink, frilly things, and everything super girly. Meanwhile Teddy is already dreading the teenage years and all the boys that will try dating his daughter; "it's karma coming back to me for the way I treated girls when I was younger," says Teddy. Other aspects of having a girl that we dread are pre-teen know-it-all mood swings, puberty, periods, worrying she'll get knocked up before finishing high school, and the price tag of her wedding that we'll one day be paying (although that tradition is dying out a bit). As you can tell we are kinda heavy on the cons and low on pros of having a baby girl- so if you have any positives you want to share... feel free to comment. Like I said- the major pro is that we are having a healthy baby... so if nothing else that one pro outweighs all the cons. I know we'll both love her tremendously regardless if all our fears come true.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Prenatal screening tests of chromosome abnormalities and the Panorama Test
There are a number of tests and screening that can be done between weeks 10 and 22 of pregnancy to determine if the baby is at high risk for any abnormalities and or chromosome defects. Many of these tests are optional, however since statistically the odds of birth defects are higher for pregnant woman that have a family history of genetic defects or are 35 years old or older, these tests may be required for some. Since I'm 35 and pregnant for the first time I knew that I would have one of these tests done.
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) Test:
The CVS, chorionic villus sampling, test is used to identify the odds of the baby having chromosome abnormalities and/ or other inherited disorders. The test is offered to woman that are between 10 and 13 weeks pregnant. A sample of the chorionic villi cells from the placenta are collected and tested to determine the odds of the baby having any abnormalities. The sample can be collected either vaginally or by needle going through the abdomen. According to the American Pregnancy Association the procedure is safe but there is a risk of miscarriage; " Miscarriage is the primary risk related to CVS occurring 1 out of every 100 procedures."
Amniocentesis Test:
The amniocentesis or amniotic fluid test (AFT), is another option to test for the potential of abnormalities and/ or defects in the baby. This test can be done between weeks 16 and 22 of pregnancy. The procedure for this test is to inject a needle into amniotic sac through the abdomen and uterus after a local anesthetic is given to the mother and extract some of the amniotic fluid for testing. Unlike the CVS test, the AFT can also screen for neural tube defects.
Some risks of amniocentesis testing are miscarriage, needle injury to the baby if the needle sticks them, and leaking amniotic fluid. The risk of miscarriage from this test is lower than that of CVS testing; estimated that a miscarriage related to AFT occures between 1 out of every 300 to 1 out of every 500 procedures, as per the Mayo Clinic website.
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) Test:
The CVS, chorionic villus sampling, test is used to identify the odds of the baby having chromosome abnormalities and/ or other inherited disorders. The test is offered to woman that are between 10 and 13 weeks pregnant. A sample of the chorionic villi cells from the placenta are collected and tested to determine the odds of the baby having any abnormalities. The sample can be collected either vaginally or by needle going through the abdomen. According to the American Pregnancy Association the procedure is safe but there is a risk of miscarriage; " Miscarriage is the primary risk related to CVS occurring 1 out of every 100 procedures."
Amniocentesis Test:
The amniocentesis or amniotic fluid test (AFT), is another option to test for the potential of abnormalities and/ or defects in the baby. This test can be done between weeks 16 and 22 of pregnancy. The procedure for this test is to inject a needle into amniotic sac through the abdomen and uterus after a local anesthetic is given to the mother and extract some of the amniotic fluid for testing. Unlike the CVS test, the AFT can also screen for neural tube defects.
Some risks of amniocentesis testing are miscarriage, needle injury to the baby if the needle sticks them, and leaking amniotic fluid. The risk of miscarriage from this test is lower than that of CVS testing; estimated that a miscarriage related to AFT occures between 1 out of every 300 to 1 out of every 500 procedures, as per the Mayo Clinic website.
New testing
The two above tests are the most common based on my findings in books, magazines, chat boards, and online searches. These have been the norm for at least the past decade if not longer. Lucky for me, I did not do either of these tests as neither option seemed pleasant. Instead my doctor told me that as of last year (so 2013) a blood test is being used to test for chromosome abnormalities. I hate having blood drawn but it's a less invasive method without any known risk of miscarriage and the newest technology. Plus I love my obstetrician and trust his judgement. The new blood test to screen for chromosome deficiencies and baby sex is offered by two companies. The one that I did is called the Panorama test.
Panorama Test:
The Panorama test is a simple non invasive blood test that is used to determine the babies odds of abnormalities and defects. During pregnancy some of the DNA of the baby crosses into the mother's blood stream. So a number of vials of blood are drawn (I think they took about 9 vials!) and then a lab pulls DNA information from the blood, dividing the DNA of the fetus from the DNA of the mother and then evaluating the
Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes, with a total of 46 (2 copies of each). The Panorama tests screens to check the chromosomes to see if there are any extra chromosomes or only one when there should be a pair. Three of the chromosomal abnormalities that Panorama screens for are trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13, which result in Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau Syndrome, respectively. All of these syndromes are a result of having a third chromosome (either partial or full) rather than the standard pair. Other birth defects that the test screens for are monosomy X, triple X syndrome, and Jacob syndrome.
The Panorama test also determines the sex of the baby. Along with screening for various chromosome defects the Panorama test determines if the baby is a boy or a girl. By seeing if the sex chromosomes are XX (girl) or XY (boy) the sex of the baby is determined. This is an added plus because it's often too difficult to get a good ultrasound view early in the pregnancy to determine the sex of the baby.
Although the Panorama test website states that the test can be done as early at 9 weeks of pregnancy, my doctor scheduled me to come in for the blood test at 12 weeks. They then send away the blood samples to the lab and it takes about 2 weeks to get the results (according to the website it's only about a week but I'm sure most doctor offices add in time for specimen shipment and results to come back). I got a call exactly 2 weeks later- but the results came back inconclusive.
My doctor explained that the inconclusive results were not an indication that anything was wrong. What happened was that there was not enough fetal DNA extracted from my blood to attain results so I had do go in again to be retested with a second blood test. DNA was also taken from the father, by getting a cheek swap. This is optional with the Panorama test so it was not done the first time I had it done.
The second test came back another 2 weeks later without an issue. The way the results work is that based on the analysis of the fetal DNA you find out if you are at low or high risk of having a baby with abnormalities. The results list of the risk of each condition (such as trisomy 21, trisomy 18, etc) and if the baby is at low or high risk. The test also breaks down the odds of the condition based on the mother's age.
For example my results listed:
Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) risk based on my age is 1/266 and based on the blood work- my risk is less than 1/10000 resulting in Low Risk.
The doctor can go over the results and if any of the results come back high risk further testing can be done. In my case everything came back as low risk so the odds of my baby having any birth defects or abnormalities is very low. Great news! We also found out the sex of the baby but I'm saving that for another post.
Hope this was informative for some and if you're here just to follow my pregnancy and progress hope this wasn't too boring for you- thanks everyone!
The two above tests are the most common based on my findings in books, magazines, chat boards, and online searches. These have been the norm for at least the past decade if not longer. Lucky for me, I did not do either of these tests as neither option seemed pleasant. Instead my doctor told me that as of last year (so 2013) a blood test is being used to test for chromosome abnormalities. I hate having blood drawn but it's a less invasive method without any known risk of miscarriage and the newest technology. Plus I love my obstetrician and trust his judgement. The new blood test to screen for chromosome deficiencies and baby sex is offered by two companies. The one that I did is called the Panorama test.
Panorama Test:
The Panorama test is a simple non invasive blood test that is used to determine the babies odds of abnormalities and defects. During pregnancy some of the DNA of the baby crosses into the mother's blood stream. So a number of vials of blood are drawn (I think they took about 9 vials!) and then a lab pulls DNA information from the blood, dividing the DNA of the fetus from the DNA of the mother and then evaluating the
Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes, with a total of 46 (2 copies of each). The Panorama tests screens to check the chromosomes to see if there are any extra chromosomes or only one when there should be a pair. Three of the chromosomal abnormalities that Panorama screens for are trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13, which result in Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome and Patau Syndrome, respectively. All of these syndromes are a result of having a third chromosome (either partial or full) rather than the standard pair. Other birth defects that the test screens for are monosomy X, triple X syndrome, and Jacob syndrome.
The Panorama test also determines the sex of the baby. Along with screening for various chromosome defects the Panorama test determines if the baby is a boy or a girl. By seeing if the sex chromosomes are XX (girl) or XY (boy) the sex of the baby is determined. This is an added plus because it's often too difficult to get a good ultrasound view early in the pregnancy to determine the sex of the baby.
Although the Panorama test website states that the test can be done as early at 9 weeks of pregnancy, my doctor scheduled me to come in for the blood test at 12 weeks. They then send away the blood samples to the lab and it takes about 2 weeks to get the results (according to the website it's only about a week but I'm sure most doctor offices add in time for specimen shipment and results to come back). I got a call exactly 2 weeks later- but the results came back inconclusive.
My doctor explained that the inconclusive results were not an indication that anything was wrong. What happened was that there was not enough fetal DNA extracted from my blood to attain results so I had do go in again to be retested with a second blood test. DNA was also taken from the father, by getting a cheek swap. This is optional with the Panorama test so it was not done the first time I had it done.
The second test came back another 2 weeks later without an issue. The way the results work is that based on the analysis of the fetal DNA you find out if you are at low or high risk of having a baby with abnormalities. The results list of the risk of each condition (such as trisomy 21, trisomy 18, etc) and if the baby is at low or high risk. The test also breaks down the odds of the condition based on the mother's age.
For example my results listed:
Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) risk based on my age is 1/266 and based on the blood work- my risk is less than 1/10000 resulting in Low Risk.
The doctor can go over the results and if any of the results come back high risk further testing can be done. In my case everything came back as low risk so the odds of my baby having any birth defects or abnormalities is very low. Great news! We also found out the sex of the baby but I'm saving that for another post.
Hope this was informative for some and if you're here just to follow my pregnancy and progress hope this wasn't too boring for you- thanks everyone!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Product Review: Bump Nest pregnancy pillow relief system
What's a pregnancy pillow?
As I mentioned in a previous post (Pregnancy Not like the movies) there are a number of alignments that come along with pregnancy. Some of the more common ones that affect sleeping are aches and pains, heartburn, and insomnia. And that's were pregnancy pillows come in. Pregnancy pillows are marketed as a tool to help pregnant woman get comfortable and alleviate pain so they can get rest. Pregnancy pillows come in a variety of shapes and sizes from wedges that target a specific area or problem to full body pillows that claim to be designed to handle a list of alignments such as back pain, knee pain, ankle pain, restless leg syndrome, and sciatica. For more on pregnancy pillows and how to chose/ use one check out- WikiHow Pregancy Pillow
Why I decided to get a pregnancy pillow
If you have been following my blog you already know that I have a lot of hip and back pain because of my hip dysplasia and that pregnancy has made increase this pain as well as given me a list of other problems since I've been " blessed" (read the sarcasm) with so many pregnancy symptoms. I was still in my first trimester when it became increasingly difficult to get comfortable and fall asleep at night. Having had my hip problem all my life I already know that I can get some pain relief by placing pillow between my legs and sleeping on my side but I found myself tossing and turning too much and constantly re positioning the pillows around me. Being pregnant gave me nose bleeds and sinus issues so I also needed to stack some pillows behind me to elevate my head. For all these reasons I decided to look into getting a pregnancy pillow.
The Bump Nest Relief System Pregnancy Pillow
After reading a bunch of reviews and checking out a number of full body and pregnancy pillows in baby stores I decided to go with the Bump Nest. Yes, this product is on the high end of the price spectrum but based on reviews and write ups I decided to give it a try. The reason I decided to go with this pillow rather than the many others out on the market was the soft natural material and because it's machine washable. Many of the other pillows had synthetic materials or covers and although many covers are washable now, few of the pillows are able to be washed without losing their shape.
The bump nest can be purchased as either the relief system or pillow only. If you purchase the pillow only you'll receive one that looks like the candy cane shaped pillow in the picture above (priced at $99 on the company website). The pregnancy pillow does not include the white with pink feather base that is pictured above. The bump nest pillow is very soft which I like but if you want a firm pillow this is not your best option. The cover has a hidden zipper, which is nice so when you cuddle up to it there are no scratchy seams. I love the soft cotton breathable material of the knit fabric cover (it's a mix of polyester and cotton if I remember correctly). The cover comes in eight different colors and additional covers can be purchases separately ( $24 each). Both the cover and the pillow are machine washable. I have not yet washed the pillow so I do not know how it will hold up but I'll add an update after a few goes through the laundry.
Bump Nest also sells a relief system that is marketed to help relieve acid reflux and heartburn, which is made up of three pieces (priced at $199). If you purchase this option you'll get a pregnancy pillow and two base support pieces. One of the two bases is wedge shaped and the other is like a big fluffy pillow. The base pillows fit together by the button strap material sown in on the sides. The strap utilized 2 buttons on each side to link these two pieces. The strap also has 3 positions for the buttons so it can be adjusted to pull the two pieces closer together or spaced out more. See picture below:
I purchased the bump nest relief system. I figured it will come in handy even if I do not need all three pieces yet. It just seemed like a good investment especially since I was only in my first trimester when I purchased this product. Although I've had some heartburn and re flux it's not too bad yet so I found that I do not need a high incline every night when I sleep. Instead I detach the base pieces so I can get a little incline with the wedge base for my upper back and head. I use the second part of the base as an extra pillow that I place to my side of use to elevate my feet. The pillow (candy cane shaped portion) is great to lay on my side and get support under my belly and breasts or to throw a leg over. What is not ideal with the pillow is that one side is longer than the other so if you flip sides you can't just wrap your legs around it if you face the shorter side. Although I list that as one of the cons of this product, it really did not bother me much since overall I do sleep much better and don't toss and turn as I used to. I've been able to get comfortable and sleep through most of the night without waking up in pain and needing to adjust the way I'm positioned.
Here's a list of pros and cons I found
Pros and Likes of the Bump Nest pillow only:
Pros and Likes of the Bump Nest Relief System (3 pieces):
** Final note: I did use or try any other pregnancy pillows so this was not based on a comparison to other products. It's simply a review of my experience with the Bump Nest.
As I mentioned in a previous post (Pregnancy Not like the movies) there are a number of alignments that come along with pregnancy. Some of the more common ones that affect sleeping are aches and pains, heartburn, and insomnia. And that's were pregnancy pillows come in. Pregnancy pillows are marketed as a tool to help pregnant woman get comfortable and alleviate pain so they can get rest. Pregnancy pillows come in a variety of shapes and sizes from wedges that target a specific area or problem to full body pillows that claim to be designed to handle a list of alignments such as back pain, knee pain, ankle pain, restless leg syndrome, and sciatica. For more on pregnancy pillows and how to chose/ use one check out- WikiHow Pregancy Pillow
Why I decided to get a pregnancy pillow
If you have been following my blog you already know that I have a lot of hip and back pain because of my hip dysplasia and that pregnancy has made increase this pain as well as given me a list of other problems since I've been " blessed" (read the sarcasm) with so many pregnancy symptoms. I was still in my first trimester when it became increasingly difficult to get comfortable and fall asleep at night. Having had my hip problem all my life I already know that I can get some pain relief by placing pillow between my legs and sleeping on my side but I found myself tossing and turning too much and constantly re positioning the pillows around me. Being pregnant gave me nose bleeds and sinus issues so I also needed to stack some pillows behind me to elevate my head. For all these reasons I decided to look into getting a pregnancy pillow.
The Bump Nest Relief System Pregnancy Pillow
After reading a bunch of reviews and checking out a number of full body and pregnancy pillows in baby stores I decided to go with the Bump Nest. Yes, this product is on the high end of the price spectrum but based on reviews and write ups I decided to give it a try. The reason I decided to go with this pillow rather than the many others out on the market was the soft natural material and because it's machine washable. Many of the other pillows had synthetic materials or covers and although many covers are washable now, few of the pillows are able to be washed without losing their shape.
The bump nest can be purchased as either the relief system or pillow only. If you purchase the pillow only you'll receive one that looks like the candy cane shaped pillow in the picture above (priced at $99 on the company website). The pregnancy pillow does not include the white with pink feather base that is pictured above. The bump nest pillow is very soft which I like but if you want a firm pillow this is not your best option. The cover has a hidden zipper, which is nice so when you cuddle up to it there are no scratchy seams. I love the soft cotton breathable material of the knit fabric cover (it's a mix of polyester and cotton if I remember correctly). The cover comes in eight different colors and additional covers can be purchases separately ( $24 each). Both the cover and the pillow are machine washable. I have not yet washed the pillow so I do not know how it will hold up but I'll add an update after a few goes through the laundry.
Bump Nest also sells a relief system that is marketed to help relieve acid reflux and heartburn, which is made up of three pieces (priced at $199). If you purchase this option you'll get a pregnancy pillow and two base support pieces. One of the two bases is wedge shaped and the other is like a big fluffy pillow. The base pillows fit together by the button strap material sown in on the sides. The strap utilized 2 buttons on each side to link these two pieces. The strap also has 3 positions for the buttons so it can be adjusted to pull the two pieces closer together or spaced out more. See picture below:
I purchased the bump nest relief system. I figured it will come in handy even if I do not need all three pieces yet. It just seemed like a good investment especially since I was only in my first trimester when I purchased this product. Although I've had some heartburn and re flux it's not too bad yet so I found that I do not need a high incline every night when I sleep. Instead I detach the base pieces so I can get a little incline with the wedge base for my upper back and head. I use the second part of the base as an extra pillow that I place to my side of use to elevate my feet. The pillow (candy cane shaped portion) is great to lay on my side and get support under my belly and breasts or to throw a leg over. What is not ideal with the pillow is that one side is longer than the other so if you flip sides you can't just wrap your legs around it if you face the shorter side. Although I list that as one of the cons of this product, it really did not bother me much since overall I do sleep much better and don't toss and turn as I used to. I've been able to get comfortable and sleep through most of the night without waking up in pain and needing to adjust the way I'm positioned.
Here's a list of pros and cons I found
Pros and Likes of the Bump Nest pillow only:
- The soft breathable material
- The wrap around design is great to get back and front support
- The whole pillow is machine washable- the case and pillow!
- The hidden zipper in the pillow case and no harsh scratchy seams
- The soft and easy to twist pillow can me manipulated to various positions
- Its like a cuddle buddy!
- Free shipping! If you purchase this product directly from BumpNest
Cons and Dislikes of the Bump Nest pillow only:
- One side is shorter than the other so you might need to flip the pillow if you flip to your other side
- The sections you lay on the most such as were your head rests flatten out from use- although that's too be expected and just requires some re fluffing of the pillow or the use of an extra pillow (which I use anyway)
- Not sold in retail stores so you can't check out/ touch the product until it's delivered to your home. (* Quick update I just noticed the website states that this product is also available that Pea in a Pod Maternity and Nordstrom stores but I'm not sure if all stores carry it in stock)
- Price
Pros and Likes of the Bump Nest Relief System (3 pieces):
- Everything listed above
- Base(s) gives you incline helpful when you have heartburn, re flux, or sinus congestion
- The bases are detachable re positioned for other uses; wedge can be while laying on side to support the belly and big fluffy base can be used under feet in early pregnancy when still laying on back
Cons and Dislikes of the Bump Nest Relief System (3 pieces) :
- Limited color options; although the pillow comes in 8 colors the relief system only have 4 color choices
- Amount of space it takes up in the bed. This isn't issue for me yet as I have a full bed to myself but when Teddy shares the bed- the bump nest system and I will occupy a good 2/3 of the bed leaving him limited space.
- Price- this by far will be what sways some people away from purchasing this product.
Overall I like the bump nest system and would recommend it to others. I do find that it's improved my sleep. If you can afford the price I say it's worth it; although I find the bump nest relief system a better buy than just the pregnancy pillow. Although the pillow alone is great I just think that there are so many other pregnancy pillows out there that the price may be a deterrent. That might seem strange since I had no issue paying double the price and purchasing the relief system but to me it was a better investment and came with three pieces that can use through my pregnancy and after. Which brings me to my final thought... why don't they market these to people with back and hip issues? If I knew how great this product is I would have purchased it for hip dysplasia years ago, pregnant or not.
** Final note: I did use or try any other pregnancy pillows so this was not based on a comparison to other products. It's simply a review of my experience with the Bump Nest.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Hip dysplasia and pregnancy.
Diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia
When I was about 10 months old it was discovered that I had hip dysplasia, also referred to as congenital hip dysplasia or developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Although I had all the usual testings at birth and then at 6 months- somehow the difference in my legs was not caught until my aunt noticed that my legs looked uneven.
My mother took me to the doctors and x-rays showed that my right hip was not in the correct location. Since my dysplasia was not diagnosed right away it is uncertain if it was congenital (meaning from birth) or developmental. To correct the problem, I was fitted for a brace that was to align the hip in the proper position so that it could develop properly. Unfortunately I ended out having problems with the brace and it did not work as it should have. I had check ups and treatments from that point on but my hip bone never developed properly.
Some general information about Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplacia is a broad term that can include issued of the location or formation of the hip bone. The severity ranges from slight to extreme. In babies the joint is actually made of cartilage and is malleable so it can sometimes develops incorrectly. Because of that reason proper swaddling is very important. The exact cause of hip dysplasia is unknown but it is widely believed to be developmental. DDH can develope at time of birth, after birth, or in childhood. According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, " approximately 1 out of every 20 full term babies has some hip instability and every 2 or 3 out of evey 1,000 infants will require treatment." At the early stages of dysplasia there is no pain so the baby/ child does not cry or complain about pain which is why it is sometimes overlooked right away, such as in my case. Hip dysplasia prevents the hip from functioning properly and can limit mobility. The joint(s) also wears out faster than normal and often leads to early onset arthritis.
For more information I highly recommend the website for the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. Growing up I found limited information on my condition and many people did not understand what it meant when I told them I had hip dysplasia. The website above is the most comprehensive site that I have come across and it has a lot of information about infant, child, and adult dysplasia including signs and symptoms, plans of treatment, and patient stories. They even posted a video about proper swaddling in their prevention section, which I have attached here:
I got a little side tracked but I felt it was important to include some general information about hip dysplasia because many people are not familiar with it. I'm going to get back to a bit more about my condition.
As I mentioned before, I had treatments from when I was diagnosed as a baby and from that point on I would have orthopedic visits at least once a year. Growing up I became very familiar with the numerous doctor and clinic visits, the repeated questions of when it was diagnosed, how it was treated, the various mobility tests to see if I can bend and move both hips and legs properly, and tons of X-rays. As I grew my right hip bone continued to form incorrectly and I developed a discrepancy in my leg lengths. Actually the length of both of my femurs are the same however the misshaped formation of my hip causes my right femur to sit higher up resulting in my right leg being shorter than the left.
This is an Xray from 2013. You can see the difference in the hip joints & that the femur starts higher up my right hip (left side of the xray)
During childhood while I was growing it was suggested that I have surgery that would cut into my left knee (my healthy leg) and scrape some of the cartilage as it grew. If all goes well the cut out cartilage in my left leg would help even out the the difference between my leg lengths. After a second opinion from another doctor my family decided against this idea because if it failed I could end out with problems in both legs.
The difference in my leg lengths was about an inch and a half at the time. I did have a special lift put into my shoe during junior high, however the technology then was not as good as it is now so I was limited on the type of shoes that I could modify, the lifts were heavy, and sometimes seemed to do more harm that good by wearing me out quicker and throwing off my balance even more when I took off my shoes. Besides no kid wants to have one Frankenstein shoe and one normal shoe that draws attention for being weird or different.
Children find reasons to pick on each other over the most minuet things, so having a limp or strange shoes as I did me insecure. I also got tired quicker and the more active I was the more I limped. Balance issues made me clumsy as well. Looking back my mobility was not limited too much but I did have some extra challenges.
Other complications resulting from my hip dysplasia
My misshaped hip that caused the discrepancy in the length of my legs caused me to have other issues. My balance was and still is constantly off, which has affected my stability. I was always a clumsy child and I fell down the stairs a number of times. One time I broke my collar bone and knocked a rib out of place by falling down the stairs. The leg difference also makes my spine shift out of balance from which I have back pain. I also dislocated my left knee while playing soccer during high school but it popped back in place. It was not discovered that my knee dislocated until years later, when in my 20s I was again playing soccer and I began having knee pain. Nothing showed on the x rays yet again, but when an MRI was done there was a trail were my knee had popped in and out of place more than once. Since my legs are uneven I distribute the weight unevenly and that alignment is not normal. I can tell in my shoes from the way the sole wears down that more weight is put on the outside edges of my feet and not flat and evenly. This shift in alignment can lead to me mis-stacking my joints and cause extra wear. That also may be why I dislocated my knee.
The deformed shape of my hip does limit my flexibility and the degree that I can bend my legs. It's interesting because I have more issues with my left leg and the inability to bend or contort it into certain positions. Perhaps it is because that's my longer leg. I do however get more pain in my right hip. The pain is usually stronger if I am more active; do more walking, bend my hip a certain way, or stay too long in the same positions.
As I have gotten older the pain has gotten worse and spread. I also began having signs of arthritis about a year ago so now I have increased pain on wet and cold days. As you could imagine I've taken painkillers for a large portion of my life and my tolerance to over the counter pills like Tylenol is very high. I was on prescribed pain killers for some time but I can not stay on them for extended amounts of time because I will develop a tolerance to those as well or I'll become addicted to them. So I needed to find other ways to cope with the pain.
Pain Management of my hip dysplasia
Being able to find ways to deal with the pain that doesn't involve pooping pills was extremely important to me. Over the years I found a number of things that help ease the pain such as laying on a hard flat surface for an hour or two, hot baths, heat compresses, Amol (Polish herbal rub made with alcohol), limited walking, lots of breaks between and during activities, and changing up between long periods of sitting and standing. I began doing bikram yoga 4 years ago and I found that it helped with my alignment and balance and eased the pain in my back. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 postures that are done in a room that is heated to 105 degrees and with humidity of 40%. The heat helps get a deeper stretch and I like that it is a very slow paced yoga where you get into a posture and maintain it. For me this is important because I need to modify and adjust postures to make sure I am distributing my weight evenly. The practice has helped with my balance and that has helped minimize pain. The last thing that I found helped ease the pain was weight loss. When I lost some weight and there was less pressure on my joints the frequency and severity of my pain also subsided. I do my best to get by use a combination of these methods to deal with the pain. And when all else fails there are various painkillers to help do the job.
Pregnancy with hip dysplasia
Pregnancy in itself is difficult between the hormones, body changes, morning sickness, and aches and pains. Hip dysplasia can be difficult for all the reasons I mentioned above. When you combine the two it can be downright torturous. When I became pregnant I not only had to deal with all these new pregnancy symptoms but I've lost my ability to deal with my hip dysplasia.
Nearly all the methods I used to deal with my hip and back pain are no longer an option. Take for example medication. When you become pregnant many medications are unsafe and you become limited in what you can take. For my hip and back pain it means I am limited to Tylenol. Not just that- I'm limited to no more than 2 tablets every 4-5 hours. Preferably no more than one tablet every 5 hours and no more than 8 tablets in a given day. Before I was pregnant when I had pain I used Tylenol, Alieve, Acetaminophen or any other OTC painkiller that I was popping 5 or 6 pills at a time with up to 12 or 15 pills in a day. This was even approved by my orthopedic and family doctor and that did not always alleviate the pain it just decreased it. Some people might consider taking 15 painkillers in one day on a near daily basis crazy but you have to consider that I've been taking painkillers since childhood so that's not as extreme as it seems. Another reason why this was the norm is because my doctors feel it was better this then to have me on daily doses of percocet or vicodin. The issue with these stronger pain killers is that they should not be taken on a constant basis. Yes people are prescribed these meds but usually for an injury or after surgery during recovery. They are not good for someone such as myself, whose condition will never go away but rather it will gradually get worse. So my limitation of 2 tylenol every 4 hours means that I don't get any relief and I might as well not bother because the small dosage does nothing for me.
Bikram yoga, another of my methods for coping with pain, is also not allowed. Although yoga, more specifically prenatal yoga, is not restricted but rather encouraged during pregnancy- hot yoga is not. Some doctors and sources list that even hot paths are advised against while pregnant. Some say the heat may be dangerous to the baby or cause miscarriage. More so the issue is not the heat but rather the high risk of becoming dehydrated, dizzy, or lightheaded which can cause you to faint or pass out. There's debate over this because I have also read accounts of woman that did bikram yoga while pregnant and I even had a pregnant student in my yoga class a few years ago. It's not recommended if you are new to hot yoga, but if you have been practicing for sometime there's some controversy if it's really dangerous or not. From my experience, I have been doing hot yoga for 4 years and at my most active state I did it three times weekly. I'm very familiar with it and hoped to continue during pregnancy. That was until the first class I did while pregnant and I struggled thorough the entire class and felt that I might seriously pass out. It wasn't until after that incident that I even looked up if bikram is ok to do while pregnant and when I spoke to my doctor he advised me to stop until after the baby is born. So that's the second thing of my list.
I quickly found out that I can't do many of the things I used to when I had hip or back pain. Amol has alcohol, more specifically ethanol, in it so it's not allowed. Hot baths, if very hot, are also discouraged for the same reason my hot yoga class was- there is risk of fainting and in a bath tub that can mean drowning. Ok- so that seems very extreme and no I do not think I will drown in my bath tub but I do feel that running the water a little cooler than I normally would might not be a bad idea for the sake of the baby. Even laying down on a hard surface for an hour or two will no longer be an option because at the third trimester doctors advise against pregnant woman lying on their back. The added weight of the baby and uterus presses on the major vein and can restrict blood flow. That leaves me with the option of a heat compress and rest or to constantly change up between lying down and sitting.
So at this point I covered how I have limited ways to deal with my existing hip and back pain. What's worse, the pregnancy is going to increase my pain and severity as time goes on. In normal pregnancies woman get back and leg pain from the pressure of the baby on their spine. The added weight throws off their balance and it can make walking or standing up difficult. Plus the growing baby means weight gain. All three of those things will intensify my existing problems. I already have hip and back problems and the added pressure just adds to it. My balance is off normally so the baby will make it even harder and increase my chances of falling over. The biggest issue is the weight gain. The added weight adds more strain and work on the joints. All of these have caused my pain to become worse and there is very little I can do about it until the baby is born.
At this point I am in my second trimester. I am not even half way through my pregnancy and I have had days of extreme pain. I've also missed at least 6 days of work because when the pain is bad it makes sitting at a desk for 8 hours impossible. I would have missed even more days but this winter was extra brutal so my office was closed for a good 5- 6 days because of the weather. Good thing because the cold and wet made my pain worse and had there been work I would have needed to call out all those days as well. For a while I was worried I would lose my job because of all the days I missed. As you can imagine I've been stressed out and it just adds to the frustration.
I hoped that my orthopedic would have some helpful tips of what I could do. I saw him a few weeks ago but there is nothing he can do for me while I am pregnant. He said that I'm already doing all that I can and he didn't sugar-coat it when he said it will get worse. He said that as the baby grows the extra weight will make the pain and balance issues worse and in extreme cases it can lead to being bedridden especially at the end of pregnancy. His only positive note was that since my hip dysplasia is at the hip and socket and not much in the pelvis I should be able to have a normal delivery. Woman with hip dysplasia that deformed the shape of the pelvic bone often are limited to Cesarean deliveries. Regarding the pain he offered me a prescription for precocets but he knows I wouldn't take them because of the risks to the baby. His only other suggestion was that if the pain becomes too extreme and I can't work perhaps I can work out a deal with my employer to take my maternity leave before the baby rather than after the delivery. That was what some of his other patients had done. Not a realistic plan if you ask me because I know I'll need the maternity leave after to recuperate and to take care of the baby. At this point I realized that I need to take it day by day and manage the best that I can. I am learning to accept that some things are out of my control so rather than worry about them in advance I need to trust that somehow things will work out.
I'll be sure to add updates of how my hip dysplasia affects the rest of my pregnancy and if it affects the delivery at all.
When I was about 10 months old it was discovered that I had hip dysplasia, also referred to as congenital hip dysplasia or developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Although I had all the usual testings at birth and then at 6 months- somehow the difference in my legs was not caught until my aunt noticed that my legs looked uneven.
My mother took me to the doctors and x-rays showed that my right hip was not in the correct location. Since my dysplasia was not diagnosed right away it is uncertain if it was congenital (meaning from birth) or developmental. To correct the problem, I was fitted for a brace that was to align the hip in the proper position so that it could develop properly. Unfortunately I ended out having problems with the brace and it did not work as it should have. I had check ups and treatments from that point on but my hip bone never developed properly.
Some general information about Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplacia is a broad term that can include issued of the location or formation of the hip bone. The severity ranges from slight to extreme. In babies the joint is actually made of cartilage and is malleable so it can sometimes develops incorrectly. Because of that reason proper swaddling is very important. The exact cause of hip dysplasia is unknown but it is widely believed to be developmental. DDH can develope at time of birth, after birth, or in childhood. According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, " approximately 1 out of every 20 full term babies has some hip instability and every 2 or 3 out of evey 1,000 infants will require treatment." At the early stages of dysplasia there is no pain so the baby/ child does not cry or complain about pain which is why it is sometimes overlooked right away, such as in my case. Hip dysplasia prevents the hip from functioning properly and can limit mobility. The joint(s) also wears out faster than normal and often leads to early onset arthritis.
For more information I highly recommend the website for the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. Growing up I found limited information on my condition and many people did not understand what it meant when I told them I had hip dysplasia. The website above is the most comprehensive site that I have come across and it has a lot of information about infant, child, and adult dysplasia including signs and symptoms, plans of treatment, and patient stories. They even posted a video about proper swaddling in their prevention section, which I have attached here:
My childhood with hip dysplacia continued
As I mentioned before, I had treatments from when I was diagnosed as a baby and from that point on I would have orthopedic visits at least once a year. Growing up I became very familiar with the numerous doctor and clinic visits, the repeated questions of when it was diagnosed, how it was treated, the various mobility tests to see if I can bend and move both hips and legs properly, and tons of X-rays. As I grew my right hip bone continued to form incorrectly and I developed a discrepancy in my leg lengths. Actually the length of both of my femurs are the same however the misshaped formation of my hip causes my right femur to sit higher up resulting in my right leg being shorter than the left.
During childhood while I was growing it was suggested that I have surgery that would cut into my left knee (my healthy leg) and scrape some of the cartilage as it grew. If all goes well the cut out cartilage in my left leg would help even out the the difference between my leg lengths. After a second opinion from another doctor my family decided against this idea because if it failed I could end out with problems in both legs.
The difference in my leg lengths was about an inch and a half at the time. I did have a special lift put into my shoe during junior high, however the technology then was not as good as it is now so I was limited on the type of shoes that I could modify, the lifts were heavy, and sometimes seemed to do more harm that good by wearing me out quicker and throwing off my balance even more when I took off my shoes. Besides no kid wants to have one Frankenstein shoe and one normal shoe that draws attention for being weird or different.
Children find reasons to pick on each other over the most minuet things, so having a limp or strange shoes as I did me insecure. I also got tired quicker and the more active I was the more I limped. Balance issues made me clumsy as well. Looking back my mobility was not limited too much but I did have some extra challenges.
Other complications resulting from my hip dysplasia
My misshaped hip that caused the discrepancy in the length of my legs caused me to have other issues. My balance was and still is constantly off, which has affected my stability. I was always a clumsy child and I fell down the stairs a number of times. One time I broke my collar bone and knocked a rib out of place by falling down the stairs. The leg difference also makes my spine shift out of balance from which I have back pain. I also dislocated my left knee while playing soccer during high school but it popped back in place. It was not discovered that my knee dislocated until years later, when in my 20s I was again playing soccer and I began having knee pain. Nothing showed on the x rays yet again, but when an MRI was done there was a trail were my knee had popped in and out of place more than once. Since my legs are uneven I distribute the weight unevenly and that alignment is not normal. I can tell in my shoes from the way the sole wears down that more weight is put on the outside edges of my feet and not flat and evenly. This shift in alignment can lead to me mis-stacking my joints and cause extra wear. That also may be why I dislocated my knee.
The deformed shape of my hip does limit my flexibility and the degree that I can bend my legs. It's interesting because I have more issues with my left leg and the inability to bend or contort it into certain positions. Perhaps it is because that's my longer leg. I do however get more pain in my right hip. The pain is usually stronger if I am more active; do more walking, bend my hip a certain way, or stay too long in the same positions.
As I have gotten older the pain has gotten worse and spread. I also began having signs of arthritis about a year ago so now I have increased pain on wet and cold days. As you could imagine I've taken painkillers for a large portion of my life and my tolerance to over the counter pills like Tylenol is very high. I was on prescribed pain killers for some time but I can not stay on them for extended amounts of time because I will develop a tolerance to those as well or I'll become addicted to them. So I needed to find other ways to cope with the pain.
Pain Management of my hip dysplasia
Being able to find ways to deal with the pain that doesn't involve pooping pills was extremely important to me. Over the years I found a number of things that help ease the pain such as laying on a hard flat surface for an hour or two, hot baths, heat compresses, Amol (Polish herbal rub made with alcohol), limited walking, lots of breaks between and during activities, and changing up between long periods of sitting and standing. I began doing bikram yoga 4 years ago and I found that it helped with my alignment and balance and eased the pain in my back. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 postures that are done in a room that is heated to 105 degrees and with humidity of 40%. The heat helps get a deeper stretch and I like that it is a very slow paced yoga where you get into a posture and maintain it. For me this is important because I need to modify and adjust postures to make sure I am distributing my weight evenly. The practice has helped with my balance and that has helped minimize pain. The last thing that I found helped ease the pain was weight loss. When I lost some weight and there was less pressure on my joints the frequency and severity of my pain also subsided. I do my best to get by use a combination of these methods to deal with the pain. And when all else fails there are various painkillers to help do the job.
Pregnancy with hip dysplasia
Pregnancy in itself is difficult between the hormones, body changes, morning sickness, and aches and pains. Hip dysplasia can be difficult for all the reasons I mentioned above. When you combine the two it can be downright torturous. When I became pregnant I not only had to deal with all these new pregnancy symptoms but I've lost my ability to deal with my hip dysplasia.
Nearly all the methods I used to deal with my hip and back pain are no longer an option. Take for example medication. When you become pregnant many medications are unsafe and you become limited in what you can take. For my hip and back pain it means I am limited to Tylenol. Not just that- I'm limited to no more than 2 tablets every 4-5 hours. Preferably no more than one tablet every 5 hours and no more than 8 tablets in a given day. Before I was pregnant when I had pain I used Tylenol, Alieve, Acetaminophen or any other OTC painkiller that I was popping 5 or 6 pills at a time with up to 12 or 15 pills in a day. This was even approved by my orthopedic and family doctor and that did not always alleviate the pain it just decreased it. Some people might consider taking 15 painkillers in one day on a near daily basis crazy but you have to consider that I've been taking painkillers since childhood so that's not as extreme as it seems. Another reason why this was the norm is because my doctors feel it was better this then to have me on daily doses of percocet or vicodin. The issue with these stronger pain killers is that they should not be taken on a constant basis. Yes people are prescribed these meds but usually for an injury or after surgery during recovery. They are not good for someone such as myself, whose condition will never go away but rather it will gradually get worse. So my limitation of 2 tylenol every 4 hours means that I don't get any relief and I might as well not bother because the small dosage does nothing for me.
Bikram yoga, another of my methods for coping with pain, is also not allowed. Although yoga, more specifically prenatal yoga, is not restricted but rather encouraged during pregnancy- hot yoga is not. Some doctors and sources list that even hot paths are advised against while pregnant. Some say the heat may be dangerous to the baby or cause miscarriage. More so the issue is not the heat but rather the high risk of becoming dehydrated, dizzy, or lightheaded which can cause you to faint or pass out. There's debate over this because I have also read accounts of woman that did bikram yoga while pregnant and I even had a pregnant student in my yoga class a few years ago. It's not recommended if you are new to hot yoga, but if you have been practicing for sometime there's some controversy if it's really dangerous or not. From my experience, I have been doing hot yoga for 4 years and at my most active state I did it three times weekly. I'm very familiar with it and hoped to continue during pregnancy. That was until the first class I did while pregnant and I struggled thorough the entire class and felt that I might seriously pass out. It wasn't until after that incident that I even looked up if bikram is ok to do while pregnant and when I spoke to my doctor he advised me to stop until after the baby is born. So that's the second thing of my list.
I quickly found out that I can't do many of the things I used to when I had hip or back pain. Amol has alcohol, more specifically ethanol, in it so it's not allowed. Hot baths, if very hot, are also discouraged for the same reason my hot yoga class was- there is risk of fainting and in a bath tub that can mean drowning. Ok- so that seems very extreme and no I do not think I will drown in my bath tub but I do feel that running the water a little cooler than I normally would might not be a bad idea for the sake of the baby. Even laying down on a hard surface for an hour or two will no longer be an option because at the third trimester doctors advise against pregnant woman lying on their back. The added weight of the baby and uterus presses on the major vein and can restrict blood flow. That leaves me with the option of a heat compress and rest or to constantly change up between lying down and sitting.
So at this point I covered how I have limited ways to deal with my existing hip and back pain. What's worse, the pregnancy is going to increase my pain and severity as time goes on. In normal pregnancies woman get back and leg pain from the pressure of the baby on their spine. The added weight throws off their balance and it can make walking or standing up difficult. Plus the growing baby means weight gain. All three of those things will intensify my existing problems. I already have hip and back problems and the added pressure just adds to it. My balance is off normally so the baby will make it even harder and increase my chances of falling over. The biggest issue is the weight gain. The added weight adds more strain and work on the joints. All of these have caused my pain to become worse and there is very little I can do about it until the baby is born.
At this point I am in my second trimester. I am not even half way through my pregnancy and I have had days of extreme pain. I've also missed at least 6 days of work because when the pain is bad it makes sitting at a desk for 8 hours impossible. I would have missed even more days but this winter was extra brutal so my office was closed for a good 5- 6 days because of the weather. Good thing because the cold and wet made my pain worse and had there been work I would have needed to call out all those days as well. For a while I was worried I would lose my job because of all the days I missed. As you can imagine I've been stressed out and it just adds to the frustration.
I hoped that my orthopedic would have some helpful tips of what I could do. I saw him a few weeks ago but there is nothing he can do for me while I am pregnant. He said that I'm already doing all that I can and he didn't sugar-coat it when he said it will get worse. He said that as the baby grows the extra weight will make the pain and balance issues worse and in extreme cases it can lead to being bedridden especially at the end of pregnancy. His only positive note was that since my hip dysplasia is at the hip and socket and not much in the pelvis I should be able to have a normal delivery. Woman with hip dysplasia that deformed the shape of the pelvic bone often are limited to Cesarean deliveries. Regarding the pain he offered me a prescription for precocets but he knows I wouldn't take them because of the risks to the baby. His only other suggestion was that if the pain becomes too extreme and I can't work perhaps I can work out a deal with my employer to take my maternity leave before the baby rather than after the delivery. That was what some of his other patients had done. Not a realistic plan if you ask me because I know I'll need the maternity leave after to recuperate and to take care of the baby. At this point I realized that I need to take it day by day and manage the best that I can. I am learning to accept that some things are out of my control so rather than worry about them in advance I need to trust that somehow things will work out.
I'll be sure to add updates of how my hip dysplasia affects the rest of my pregnancy and if it affects the delivery at all.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
First picture of the baby
On the topic of prenatal visits, Teddy asked to come along to the first one and at first I was put off by it. It's not that I wanted to deprive him of anything but rather that gyno trips are usually awkward and unpleasant. The idea of him in the room while I lay in stirrups seemed like a horrible idea. However, I reconsidered and invited him along. I'm so happy that I did. Yes, there was an awkward moment of laying pant-less on the exam table in stirrups but being able to see the first image of our baby and hear the heart beat together was such a memorable and amazing moment. It just wouldn't have been the same had we not shared it. Plus... you REALLY can see the baby! I was expecting some unrecognizable blur that the doctor would need to point to repeatedly before I saw it. Instead the minute the image was on screen I clearly saw the head and body of the baby. It rekindled that initial excitement and made the pregnancy real for both of us.
So for anyone that faces the dilemma of should or shouldn't I take my partner along to the visit- I say do it. Sure you might cross some privacy barriers that you hadn't before... then again by the time the birth comes around there will be very little he/ she (she for the same sex partners) has not seen of you and all modesty will be out the window. So why fret over the little things? Enjoy the baby journey together in all it's aspects- even the awkward and not so pleasant moments.
Pregnancy- not like the movies
In movies, there always seems to be a comical scene with morning sickness and vomit that is followed by the epiphany of the woman finding out she's pregnant. Before being pregnant, I associated certain things with pregnancy; morning sickness, vomiting, then the image of a woman with a huge baby bump ready to burst, and the long painful delivery. It's a huge leap between the first episodes of morning sickness to the 8 month when the woman is noticeably pregnant. I realize now there's a lot they don't show you in movies and pregnancy is much more exhausting that I ever could have imagined.
Although I did get nauseous and have food aversions, I never had the need to run to the nearest trash bin or toilet and expel my breakfast. I know it varies from pregnancy to pregnancy and there are those women that do spend a good portion of their day hugging the porcelain god. For me it wasn't like that. Some might think I'm lucky, but I still had the nausea and queasy feeling and sometimes I wondered if I wouldn't feel better if I had up chucked. I don't know if pregnancy vomiting gives you the same relief as hangover vomit. I imagine it would be similar and that the outlet would ease the sick feelings much like they do after a night of too much drinking. Either way, I didn't have the stereotypical morning sickness experience. Unfortunately, I did have every other symptom you could imagine.
So what is it really like being pregnant? Well it's a list of things you can't do... can't drink, can't smoke, can't eat sushi, can't snow board, can't .....do anything fun for the next 9 months. Then again with all the symptoms of pregnancy it's a wonder women leave their house at all. It seems a good 7 months is spent feeling sick from all the symptoms and body changes.
Here's a list of pregnancy symptoms (mixed from all three trimesters):
These vary not only from woman to woman but from pregnancy to pregnancy, so thankfully you might not get all of these symptoms but I'd say there's a strong chance of experiencing more than half (at least that has been my experience)
Although I did get nauseous and have food aversions, I never had the need to run to the nearest trash bin or toilet and expel my breakfast. I know it varies from pregnancy to pregnancy and there are those women that do spend a good portion of their day hugging the porcelain god. For me it wasn't like that. Some might think I'm lucky, but I still had the nausea and queasy feeling and sometimes I wondered if I wouldn't feel better if I had up chucked. I don't know if pregnancy vomiting gives you the same relief as hangover vomit. I imagine it would be similar and that the outlet would ease the sick feelings much like they do after a night of too much drinking. Either way, I didn't have the stereotypical morning sickness experience. Unfortunately, I did have every other symptom you could imagine.
So what is it really like being pregnant? Well it's a list of things you can't do... can't drink, can't smoke, can't eat sushi, can't snow board, can't .....do anything fun for the next 9 months. Then again with all the symptoms of pregnancy it's a wonder women leave their house at all. It seems a good 7 months is spent feeling sick from all the symptoms and body changes.
Here's a list of pregnancy symptoms (mixed from all three trimesters):
These vary not only from woman to woman but from pregnancy to pregnancy, so thankfully you might not get all of these symptoms but I'd say there's a strong chance of experiencing more than half (at least that has been my experience)
- Missed period
- Fatigue (<-- such an understatement)
- Sore breasts
- Nipples poking out/ erect
- Frequent urination
- Nausea and vomiting/ morning sickness
- Heightened sense of smell (which often leads to gagging and nausea- at least it did for me)
- Food aversions
- Food cravings
- Weight gain
- Weight loss (with all the morning sickness some woman lose wait because they have a hard time keeping food down)
- Body temperature stays high (it elevates during ovulation and often stays higher after)
- Bleeding or spotting
- Vaginal discharge
- Abdominal pain
- Gas
- Constipation
- Hemorrhoids
- Mood Swings
- Headaches
- Nasal Congestion
- Bloody nose
- Lower blood pressure
- High blood pressur
- Excess saliva
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty sleeping
- Weird dreams and/or nightmares
- Back pain
- Pelvic pain/ groin pain
- Round Ligament pain
- Heartburn
- weakened immune system (more change of colds, flu, etc)
- Breathlessness (feeling winded from activities like climbing stairs or even just walking)
- Decreased sex drive
- Increases sex drive
- Breasts growing in size by a cup, two, or more
- Growing belly
- Dark patches/ Melasma on face
- Linea Nigra- faint, dark line down the abdomen
- Stretch marks
- Gum problems (increased blood circulation can soften your gums and cause minor bleeding when brushing or flossing)
- Dizziness
- Leg cramps
- Increased risk of bladder and kidney infections
- Hair growth and not in places you want it (face, back, etc)
- Swollen feet, ankles, and hands
- Spider and varicose veins
- Difficulty sitting, standing, putting on shoes,... hell difficulty doing anything when there is a massive belly in the way.
- Balance issues
- Braxton Hicks contractions
And besides all those there is the added risk of developing other conditions such as gestational diabetes or anemia.
Sounds horrible, doesn't it? I'm not going to lie- it is. I spent the first three months like a zombie. I had zero energy and honestly I don't know how I made it to work and lasted the day. It drained any strength (what little bit that I had). I would come home from work, skip dinner, go straight to bed at 6:30 and sleep all night (minus those annoying bathroom wakes... to go pee for the millionth time) only to wake up the next morning and still feel completely exhausted. No one warns you how exhausting it is growing a person.
So why do women do it? Honestly because we don't have a choice... you suck it up and hope that what everyone says is true and it will get better and even if it doesn't get better you're told that it will all be worth it. That once you see your baby you will forget all the pain, sickness, and troubles of pregnancy and childbirth. I'm not so convinced about all that but it's too late to turn back now. So for now I have to believe and power through it.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
I hope what they say about motherly instincts is true
I never put much thought into pregnancy. Truth be told I never wanted children... well not until the recent past. My teens and twenties were filled with ambitions of traveling the world and I spent a few years living abroad and doing just that. When women shared dreams of becoming mothers and housewives I felt sorry for them. Perhaps it's because I grew up an only child to a single mom, and I saw how much my mother sacrificed for me. Maybe I just needed to be selfish and live my life first or maybe it was because I had so many other plans that children just didn't fit. My family would tell me that I'd change my mind one day but I never thought that I would and for a long time I didn't. That was until a few years ago.
My adventurous life of living in Japan and backpacking Southeast Asia for weeks at a time had come to an end. My career didn't take off as planned and I found myself back in New Jersey working a boring job. It seemed everything went downhill except that I met (or rather re-united) with someone that I had gone to high school with. We never really knew each other back then but we began spending time together, became friends, and over time became a couple. I found myself happy with Teddy even when doing the most mundane tasks. Something in me changed too because I now saw the possibility of a future that I never would have imagined for myself. I could see myself with this man for the rest of my life and more so I could see us having a child or even children ..gasp. I was becoming one of those women that wanted a family, and it was no longer something I pitied but a future that I desired.
All this became very clear when I stood in my bathroom staring down at a white plastic stick. As I saw the two pink lines and the realization that I'm (well, we are) having a baby hit me- I was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. So at 35 years old I'm pregnant with what will be my first child and a new adventure begins.
My adventurous life of living in Japan and backpacking Southeast Asia for weeks at a time had come to an end. My career didn't take off as planned and I found myself back in New Jersey working a boring job. It seemed everything went downhill except that I met (or rather re-united) with someone that I had gone to high school with. We never really knew each other back then but we began spending time together, became friends, and over time became a couple. I found myself happy with Teddy even when doing the most mundane tasks. Something in me changed too because I now saw the possibility of a future that I never would have imagined for myself. I could see myself with this man for the rest of my life and more so I could see us having a child or even children ..gasp. I was becoming one of those women that wanted a family, and it was no longer something I pitied but a future that I desired.
All this became very clear when I stood in my bathroom staring down at a white plastic stick. As I saw the two pink lines and the realization that I'm (well, we are) having a baby hit me- I was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. So at 35 years old I'm pregnant with what will be my first child and a new adventure begins.
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