Thursday!

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

TrixieJess said:

MissKittyDanger said:

TrixieJess said:

kvruns said:
You don't get private rooms? Ugh, I had enough trouble trying to sleep or relax in my own room, I can't imagine another mom and baby. I know that is how things used to be in the US but i'm glad for private rooms!

It depends on whether your insurance covers it or not. If you don't have employer backed health insurance, you stay on a ward (4 people) otherwise you can stay in semi-private or private rooms. Or you can choose to pay out of pocket for either. I think it was $150 for semi-private and $225 for private per night at the hospital I delivered at. It was in the package I got. Thankfully, I had insurance.

Hospitals here it's private or semi-private, but it's also priority levels.

Even if you've booked a private room, if someone had a complicated delivery {I'm not sure what qualifies as complicated} they will get first dibs.
Then people who requested it, then if there's space those who are originally in semi-private, can get the chance of private.

"Complicated" is usually if there is: pre-term, excessive bleeding, emergency surgery for either the infant or mother, any interventions that result in surgery, use of general anasthesia, etc. Your pre-book and anasthestheologist will go over all of that though.

Ah okay

I was thinking along those lines but wasn't sure. Does pre-knowledge of c-section land in this section? {I'm not on that list so far, just curious}

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

@kimmiinthemitten Yeh last class they told us to write a birth plan. Including medication options, and make sure you and your coach {in this case it'll be M even though my mum will be around} is clear on what you want.
M said he'd like me to write it up, then we can discuss if there's anything that should/needs to be there or if I want to really push about {I'm not big on epidural idea - but it's still on the list, he knows that}

TrixieJess · April 2018

MissKittyDanger said:

TrixieJess said:

MissKittyDanger said:

TrixieJess said:

kvruns said:
You don't get private rooms? Ugh, I had enough trouble trying to sleep or relax in my own room, I can't imagine another mom and baby. I know that is how things used to be in the US but i'm glad for private rooms!

It depends on whether your insurance covers it or not. If you don't have employer backed health insurance, you stay on a ward (4 people) otherwise you can stay in semi-private or private rooms. Or you can choose to pay out of pocket for either. I think it was $150 for semi-private and $225 for private per night at the hospital I delivered at. It was in the package I got. Thankfully, I had insurance.

Hospitals here it's private or semi-private, but it's also priority levels.

Even if you've booked a private room, if someone had a complicated delivery {I'm not sure what qualifies as complicated} they will get first dibs.
Then people who requested it, then if there's space those who are originally in semi-private, can get the chance of private.

"Complicated" is usually if there is: pre-term, excessive bleeding, emergency surgery for either the infant or mother, any interventions that result in surgery, use of general anasthesia, etc. Your pre-book and anasthestheologist will go over all of that though.

Ah okay I was thinking along those lines but wasn't sure. Does pre-knowledge of c-section land in this section? {I'm not on that list so far, just curious}

Nope. I was high risk and I didn't have a "complicated" delivery. I also didn't have any drugs or interventions. If I had to have a c-section for any reason, I would have been under a general.

STARMOON44 · April 2018

kvruns said:

MissKittyDanger said:

I find that at hospitals that allow options, they are much more open minded if you start having difficulties and are much more patient. I would also look into getting a private room if your insurance covers it.

M is looking into it, but I think they're looking at switching coverage at his work so things are a tad weird.

You don't get private rooms? Ugh, I had enough trouble trying to sleep or relax in my own room, I can't imagine another mom and baby. I know that is how things used to be in the US but i'm glad for private rooms!

“Used to be” is, sadly, incorrect. In lots of US hospitals, particularly urban ones, there are still commonly shared maternity rooms. You can often request, and pay for, a private room but they are first come first served and you may wind up discharged before one opens up!

redwoodoriginal · April 2018

STARMOON44 said:

kvruns said:

MissKittyDanger said:

I find that at hospitals that allow options, they are much more open minded if you start having difficulties and are much more patient. I would also look into getting a private room if your insurance covers it.

M is looking into it, but I think they're looking at switching coverage at his work so things are a tad weird.

You don't get private rooms? Ugh, I had enough trouble trying to sleep or relax in my own room, I can't imagine another mom and baby. I know that is how things used to be in the US but i'm glad for private rooms!

“Used to be” is, sadly, incorrect. In lots of US hospitals, particularly urban ones, there are still commonly shared maternity rooms. You can often request, and pay for, a private room but they are first come first served and you may wind up discharged before one opens up!

This. Lol @ “used to be”. I know tons of hospitals that still have shared maternity rooms. My hospital just upgraded another floor to be part of the maternity ward so we’d have more single bed rooms because we were losing patients to the fancy hospitals that had only single bed rooms.

@MissKittyDanger I think if the reason you choose not to Bf is related to meds you’re on, most providers - If they know- are very understanding. Just be firm and even ask your H to intervene with a stern voice if they get pushy about it if you are on the fence or have decided against it. This push for baby friendly BFing is so fucking annoying, it drives me crazy - and I work with babies and am supposed to push moms to BF/pump and I exclusively BF/pump for my kid. Don’t let them push you or make you feel like shit if you choose meds over BFing. Happy healthy mama is WAY more important than BFing. Formula is perfectly fine for a baby and baby will be fed and happy and healthy with formula and a happy healthy momma.

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

@redwoodoriginal In general, I'm all for women to feel comfortable Bf'ing but I really could care less if I do or not. I decided early on, that if it happens {pending I'm allowed} great. If not, I'm not stressing over it. I really push that with M and he's fine with that. {we also made a deal that if it works, I will try to continue but if I don't like it/want to continue then that is my choice}

End of the day, as long as she's fed idgaf lol

But it will give me a peace of mind if I know what I am or not allowed to do so then it can be put on my file and I can ensure it's on my birth plan so everyone knows.

TrixieJess · April 2018

MissKittyDanger said:

@kimmiinthemitten Yeh last class they told us to write a birth plan. Including medication options, and make sure you and your coach {in this case it'll be M even though my mum will be around} is clear on what you want.
M said he'd like me to write it up, then we can discuss if there's anything that should/needs to be there or if I want to really push about {I'm not big on epidural idea - but it's still on the list, he knows that}

Yeah, my gf with 6 kids told me to write a birth plan and then burn it. She said just to pick the people that will be the least annoying to assist you with the birth and speak up for what you want and trust in the professionals when it all goes to shit.

redwoodoriginal · April 2018

Those of us in NICU and L&D have an ongoing joke- “oh, you have a birth plan? Let me set up the OR for you now...”

i told my dr this when he asked about my birth plan and he told me I was being too negative and should attend a labor class LOL. The class helped a little, but I wasn’t against drugs and I wanted dh to cut the cord. That was really it. If you have more specific ideas and wants/needs I think it’s a good idea to write things out and be on the same page with your dr and support system bc otherwise you may end up really frustrated and sad with how things go. Just be open to knowing that anything could happen and things may have to change, even post delivery (ie, labor was easy enough for me but PP I hemorrhaged and things changed quickly in the the room, ie skin to skin was no more, etc).

Youll figure it out. You got this

charlotte989875 · April 2018

redwoodoriginal said:

Those of us in NICU and L&D have an ongoing joke- “oh, you have a birth plan? Let me set up the OR for you now...”

i told my dr this when he asked about my birth plan and he told me I was being too negative and should attend a labor class LOL. The class helped a little, but I wasn’t against drugs and I wanted dh to cut the cord. That was really it. If you have more specific ideas and wants/needs I think it’s a good idea to write things out and be on the same page with your dr and support system bc otherwise you may end up really frustrated and sad with how things go. Just be open to knowing that anything could happen and things may have to change, even post delivery (ie, labor was easy enough for me but PP I hemorrhaged and things changed quickly in the the room, ie skin to skin was no more, etc).

Youll figure it out. You got this

My mom is an L&D nurse and I have definitely hear her say this to people. Like my sister.

banana468 · April 2018

FWIW I didn't have a birth plan but DH and I communicated what we wanted and we had our doula with us.

A friend who successfully delivered at home did have a birth plan in case she had to go to the hospital. You can request things like
-Please leave arm free if C-section needed (which can allow you to move/touch baby after childbirth).

You can also make comments about the post-delivery such as delaying baths, request skin to skin before weighing, etc.

mrsconn23 · April 2018

kimmiinthemitten said:

@mrsconn23 what are you looking to get?

I have a vision, I'm not sure how to execute it. I may have my super creative friend help me come up with a drawing. I know I want it on my upper right arm and I want to come about halfway down my upper arm. If I get a drawing together, I'll share it. The main part of the tat is going to be a sunburst over a cloud, but I want some symbolism in there too. Lots of vivid color.

levioosa · April 2018

I could never have done L&D. My bff drove me crazy with her “birth plan,” which she stuck to so viciously it actually hurt her in the end. And L&D in Orange County or Beverly Hills would be the epitome of my nightmare. Get out of here with your placenta shakes and whale noise birth CDs.

thisismynickname2 · April 2018

Random responses and after 2 pages I can't keep up with the tagging, I'm sorry.

--A house without an attic OR a basement OR a garage? That's so weird to me!
--City funk. At least Chicago usually smells like chocolate, haha. Brommer's to the rescue. As a city resident I never notice any other smell but when I go to my parents' out in the country it usually smells like cows, so...
-- Birth plan- write it, burn it. Educate yourself on the things most common to happen so you can make informed decisions in real time. I wanted unmedicated but went medicated. We did delayed cord clamping. I specifically asked during the hospital tour how to obtain formula in case I struggled to BF, but luckily BFing went well. Some hospitals won't give you formula without a doctor's prescription but mine was not that strict.
-- Hospital rooms- I could not imagine sharing a room with another mother and baby. The sleep deprivation was bad enough alone. Our hospital allowed babies to go to the nursery from 11pm to 6am so Mama can rest but they'd still bring in the baby when she was hungry so you could feed her. If I had to listen to someone else and their baby (and their visitors) when I was trying to get some much-needed rest, I think I woulda killed someone.

SSDD over here. I'm having work motivation issues due to being a Mombie. Sigh. << drinks coffee >>

mrsconn23 · April 2018

I didn't take a birth class, got snowed out of my breastfeeding class, and didn't write a birth plan.

Just remember, at the end of it...a healthy mom and baby is the goal. .

Also, post-birth try to remember to pay attention to your body and if anything feels off, speak up ASAP.

charlotte989875 · April 2018

thisismynickname2 said:

Random responses and after 2 pages I can't keep up with the tagging, I'm sorry.

--A house without an attic OR a basement OR a garage? That's so weird to me!
--City funk. At least Chicago usually smells like chocolate, haha. Brommer's to the rescue. As a city resident I never notice any other smell but when I go to my parents' out in the country it usually smells like cows, so...
-- Birth plan- write it, burn it. Educate yourself on the things most common to happen so you can make informed decisions in real time. I wanted unmedicated but went medicated. We did delayed cord clamping. I specifically asked during the hospital tour how to obtain formula in case I struggled to BF, but luckily BFing went well. Some hospitals won't give you formula without a doctor's prescription but mine was not that strict.
-- Hospital rooms- I could not imagine sharing a room with another mother and baby. The sleep deprivation was bad enough alone. Our hospital allowed babies to go to the nursery from 11pm to 6am so Mama can rest but they'd still bring in the baby when she was hungry so you could feed her. If I had to listen to someone else and their baby (and their visitors) when I was trying to get some much-needed rest, I think I woulda killed someone.

SSDD over here. I'm having work motivation issues due to being a Mombie. Sigh. << drinks coffee >>

Yeah, it's actually pretty uncommon here not to have any of those attributes. But the house used to be a carriage house for a mansion across the road, and it was built in 1890, so I think that's part of the reason. I get H's point; he has a ton of hunting/fishing equipment that needs to be stored somewhere. And tools. So even though there is a huge storage room it's not sufficient. I guess. I'm pretty bummed because the house is beautiful.

TrixieJess · April 2018

redwoodoriginal said:

Those of us in NICU and L&D have an ongoing joke- “oh, you have a birth plan? Let me set up the OR for you now...”

i told my dr this when he asked about my birth plan and he told me I was being too negative and should attend a labor class LOL. The class helped a little, but I wasn’t against drugs and I wanted dh to cut the cord. That was really it. If you have more specific ideas and wants/needs I think it’s a good idea to write things out and be on the same page with your dr and support system bc otherwise you may end up really frustrated and sad with how things go. Just be open to knowing that anything could happen and things may have to change, even post delivery (ie, labor was easy enough for me but PP I hemorrhaged and things changed quickly in the the room, ie skin to skin was no more, etc).

Youll figure it out. You got this

My only big thing was that I wanted to make sure that if I had to have a c-section that FI would be able to do skin to skin with the baby as soon as possible because if takes me hours to come out of anasthesia. Thankfully, we didn't have to worry about that.

MissKittyDanger · April 2018

@TrixieJess Honestly, I'm gonna do one just so neither M nor I forget how - in an ideal world - we want things to progress. Medication wise mostly. For example, they talked about 3 diff pain options. Narcotic needle in muscle, nitro and epidural.

@redwoodoriginal God I hope it goes smooth enough ....

Everyone's gonna call me nuts, but I swear let me explain also lol - I don't want an epidural ... unless necessary. Like I'll go through the information with anesthesiologist so if I change my mind, we're set to go BUT there are factors I do keep in mind when making my decision:
1 - i have had dental work 3x {knocked out} and had 3 completely different reactions - the person does ask, and that may raise a flag
2 - i don't personally thing i could stay still long enough for it, I get unintentionally twitchy
3 - i don't like staying still when i'm in pain ....

Does it mean I'm taking epidural off the table? Of course not! I want all the options.
Tbh I wanted to do prenatal classes for the sheer fact of M knowing what to do as a coach, but I have faith he'll be fine once he finds his groove. He's pretty good under pressure, and he's been able to handle me under duress.

He also knows the whole thing freaks me out, so he's been pretty calm

TrixieJess · April 2018

MissKittyDanger said:

@TrixieJess Honestly, I'm gonna do one just so neither M nor I forget how - in an ideal world - we want things to progress. Medication wise mostly. For example, they talked about 3 diff pain options. Narcotic needle in muscle, nitro and epidural.

@redwoodoriginal God I hope it goes smooth enough ....

Everyone's gonna call me nuts, but I swear let me explain also lol - I don't want an epidural ... unless necessary. Like I'll go through the information with anesthesiologist so if I change my mind, we're set to go BUT there are factors I do keep in mind when making my decision:
1 - i have had dental work 3x {knocked out} and had 3 completely different reactions - the person does ask, and that may raise a flag
2 - i don't personally thing i could stay still long enough for it, I get unintentionally twitchy
3 - i don't like staying still when i'm in pain ....

Does it mean I'm taking epidural off the table? Of course not! I want all the options.
Tbh I wanted to do prenatal classes for the sheer fact of M knowing what to do as a coach, but I have faith he'll be fine once he finds his groove. He's pretty good under pressure, and he's been able to handle me under duress.

He also knows the whole thing freaks me out, so he's been pretty calm

Go for the epidural.

I couldn't have one and I had the narcotics...they don't do anything.

redwoodoriginal · April 2018

Yeah I’m with @TrixieJess. Non epidural pain meds (I’m blanking on the common ones) don’t do much for the pain - like my dr offered it as an option and I did some research and was like what’s the point of them and he shrugged and said well it’s a crap alternative but it’s there.... and they are more likely to affect the baby and I wanted to limit the effect on the kid. Didn’t want him to come out with respiratory depression bc of a pain med I took when I could have had better pain management and less effect on the kid.

thisismynickname2 · April 2018

@MissKittyDanger When I arrived in L&D out of triage I was sobbing and writhing because my contractions were 2 min apart and I was vomiting between them. I wanted the epi desperately along with Zofran for the nausea, and was so scared that I wouldn't stay still long enough for the epi.

That nurse, man... That nurse held me down, forehead to forehead, led me through breathing exercises, and was just an absolute angel in scrubs. The epi (and Zofran) worked perfectly and the rest of labor was easy-peasy.

Point being, don't worry about staying still. They'll help you, if you do decide to go with one!

TrixieJess · April 2018

MissKittyDanger said:

@TrixieJess Honestly, I'm gonna do one just so neither M nor I forget how - in an ideal world - we want things to progress. Medication wise mostly. For example, they talked about 3 diff pain options. Narcotic needle in muscle, nitro and epidural.

@redwoodoriginal God I hope it goes smooth enough ....

Everyone's gonna call me nuts, but I swear let me explain also lol - I don't want an epidural ... unless necessary. Like I'll go through the information with anesthesiologist so if I change my mind, we're set to go BUT there are factors I do keep in mind when making my decision:
1 - i have had dental work 3x {knocked out} and had 3 completely different reactions - the person does ask, and that may raise a flag
2 - i don't personally thing i could stay still long enough for it, I get unintentionally twitchy
3 - i don't like staying still when i'm in pain ....

Does it mean I'm taking epidural off the table? Of course not! I want all the options.
Tbh I wanted to do prenatal classes for the sheer fact of M knowing what to do as a coach, but I have faith he'll be fine once he finds his groove. He's pretty good under pressure, and he's been able to handle me under duress.

He also knows the whole thing freaks me out, so he's been pretty calm

FTR, an epidural is local and some anaesthesiologists will do a partial block if you want to move around, but from what I hear, they’re not as effective for pain management.

I have bad reactions to general anaesthetic too, I couldn’t have an epidural for a complicated medical reason. Trust me, giving birth without drugs sucks. I couldn’t even have painkillers in the hospital after DS was born.

Labour is exhausting and can take hours or even days, the epidural is designed to help take some of the load off.

ETA: also, depending on your nursing staff, while you’re in hard labour, you may not be able to move around much.

sparklepants41 · April 2018

I had preeclampsia and have had scary high BP from general anesthesia. I got the epidural for the tail end of my 44 hours of labor when I was induced with BabyPants. Not only was I able to rally and push her out in 3 hours, but I was also able to crack a lot of (pretty hilarious and somewhat inappropriate) jokes during the final hours making the delivery a great experience for everyone (until I started bleeding uncontrollably but that's not a common occurrence)

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