quote:they had to use tongs (i'm sure thats not the technical word)
It's forceps.
Brinestone, that's so exciting!
kq, it's so neat that you're having a shower. I didn't get to have one with Aerin, for obvious reasons, and I really wanted one because my bridal shower was a disaster. Maybe with the next baby (no, I'm not pregnant yet).
And if any of y'all are scared or nervous, just keep in mind that I had a miserable pregnancy from start to very early finish and I swore up and down that I would never do it again. We're starting fertility treatments on Aerin's first birthday and I can't wait.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've heard several places that I should interview and select a pediatrician before the baby is born.
Do real moms actually interview pediatricians before selecting one? What sorts of questions should I ask in an interview? How did you all choose your child's doctor?
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was referred to my pediatrician (whom I adore) by the nurses in the NICU. He is a former neonatologist, which was very important to me. Andrew and I did interview him before "officially" choosing him, which just meant having him listed as Aerin's pediatrician on her insurance card.
Here are the questions we asked:
1. Do you think children should wean at a particular time?
2. What is your usual recommendation for babies who cry when they're put to sleep at night?
3. What is your philosophy about antibiotics or other medication for children who have colds or other ailments?
4. What is your opinion about infant vaccinations?
5. How much are your hospital charges and fees for office visits?
6. Does a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) work in your office?
7. What is the scheduled length of your appointments?
8. How often do you want to see the baby in the first year? Why?
9. Do you have a "sick-child" waiting room?
10. Do you have evening or weekend hours?
11. Do you charge for phone calls?
12. How does the office handle phone inquiries? Does it set aside specific times for parents to call in with questions or is there an open advice line during office hours? And if staff members handle the inquiries, do they dispense their own advice or relay the doctor's?
13. Do you accept and answer questions by e-mail?
14. How are appointments handled for children who are sick?
15. How can I reach you if my child gets sick after hours? When you are not on call, who covers?
16. How does the practice handle payments, billing, laboratory charges, and insurance claims?
17. What hospitals are you associated with?
18. Do you have board certification from either the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or the American Board of Family Practice (ABFP)?
19. If my child needs specialty medical care, to whom do you make referrals?
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've never had a choice; I have to take Ems where her insurance will pay for it. I've been very happy with nurse practitioners handling most of her care and her only seeing the doctor for illnesses, though.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Keep in mind that I am the OCD mom of a micropreemie, which makes me about 1,000 times as neurotic as a regular overly-neurotic mom.
I love our nurse practitioner, Nurse Tammy. She actually sat in on half of the interview.
I would ask my OB and/or other moms for referrals and then check to make sure your insurance covers them. We were very lucky that our pediatrician takes ours and when we switch companies, we're making sure he takes it before switching.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
My OB recommended some pediatricians, but all of them are in downtown SLC, and I'd like to find a doctor closer to home (driving 20 minutes with a sick baby does not sound like fun to me).
In my insurance directory of physicians, I found one close to home who has weekend hours available. Maybe I'll start there.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Baby is healthy and head down! And fully functioning, and nicely descended into the pelvis.
In other news, the doctor asked in that semi-casual "I'm not making an issue of this but it's a potential issue" voice, "How big was she?" (Gesturing at Emma.) "8 lbs., 2 oz. And Jeff was almost 10 lbs., I was almost 8." "Well, it looks like we're working on at least that; this one is upwards of six lbs. already."
*shock* No wonder I've been so freakin' hungry and much heavier this time! I've still got almost 6 weeks to go!
Anyway, he said, "So, speaking of being ready to not be pregnant anymore, we may want to talk about picking a date the week before and inducing a little early if you're dilating at all." He said we'll talk about it later; one more two-week appt., then we go to one week. And that was it! But I'm so glad, because I knew this one was gonna be bigger, and I don't need extra pain if I don't have to have it! Yay!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, and I just found out that my shower is the 15th. And my mom has the 20th as her day off, so that might be a good day to schedule the birth. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow, kq, I didn't know you were expecting that soon! Has it really been that long since you posted about your newest arrival? Time flies when you're not pregnant...
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
It seems like that to me, too! Luckily, we don't really need much because we still have everything from Emma; at this point last time, I was beginning to freak out about not having clothes, a bassinet (actually we picked that up when Ems was about 7 days old; from the time we took her home until we found one, she slept in a Purina box ), or anything, really, except a car seat and nursing bras. Pretty much the only thing we need to pick up for this one is diapers, which can be bought while I'm in the hospital once we figure out what size we're going to need; Ems still even uses the extra-gentle newborn baby wipes. And heck, Emma's even sleeping in her toddler bed, so we're well past that struggle!
She was so excited when she saw the baby moving on the ultrasound. She kept saying, "Baby! Baby! Baby!" The doctor was amused. And pleased. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
awww! Do you have pictures of emma? the only ones I've seen are the "watermelon princess" pictures.
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I babysit a two and three year old(sister and brother), the two year old went in for her checkup last week. The pediatritian loves them both. The father said "the only problem we have is I can't convince my wife to have another." The doctor offered to write a perscription. Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Tinros, she was actually making faces back at her Uncle Craig, who pulls some awfully good ones now and then. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:I didn't get to have one with Aerin, for obvious reasons, and I really wanted one because my bridal shower was a disaster. Maybe with the next baby (no, I'm not pregnant yet).
Schedule the future shower for soon after the 20-week ultrasound. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Brinestone: In my insurance directory of physicians, I found one close to home who has weekend hours available. Maybe I'll start there.
Sounds like a good idea. And yes, definitely pick a pediatrician now. You certainly don't want to have do that a few days after giving birth!
kq, I hadn't realized you were quite that ripe to pop either! Are we getting together again before the blessed event?
quote:Hey, that dress is pink! That is a pink dress! You said no pink. You said. J'acuse, kq.
I do occasionally dress her in pink. I just don't buy pink for her. But that particular dress isn't as pink as it looks in those pictures; it's more peachy-colored roses with burgundy centers and highlights. So there.
Plus, it was $8.50 at Once Upon a Child for a dress that I know, upon looking at the label, was probably originally in the $60 range. Also, she picked it herself. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:kq, I hadn't realized you were quite that ripe to pop either! Are we getting together again before the blessed event?
I'll feed you.
I would love to, although the schedule gets full in April. And food is good. Plus, we have Stargate for you-- like, a lot. Although Emma managed to get hold of one of the tapes and mangled the second half of the episode before the season finale! But I can tell you pretty much what happens, she didn't get to it until after I saw it. She apparently learned how to use the "Eject" button, and that videotapes have stuff you can pull out of them... Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have a 4 o'clock appointment that Wed., which is also Emma's second birthday. But we're not doing anything after that, so if that Wed. evening would work for you... And other days might work, too. E-mail me, we'll figure it out!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
The extreme nerve pain in the leg has set in. I swear, if there's a pregnancy symptom, I get it. I almost collapsed at church again today.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's not as constant as sciatica usually is, but yeah, same nerve, basically the same thing. Dratted huge baby head smooshing all my nerves...
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
For persons who are not quite so far along as kq -- Landsend.com has a bunch of marked down maternity stuff in their overstock section. Unfortunately most of it is for people who were size 4-6 pre-pregnancy, but some of it has a broader size range.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
kq, that sure sounds like the kind of pregnancy-related sciatica I get. *sympathetic hug*
Have you tried a chiropractor or physical therapist? That's what my OB recommended last time, and it made a HUGE difference.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I only get it at the very end, the last 3 or 4 weeks, so I tend just to tough it out. If it gets really bad, my mom is an OT and has had a lot of PT training, and she's always willing to fix my pain.
Land's End's stuff is on clearance because they're discontinuing maternity clothing. I was considering getting a maternity swimsuit while they still carry it, even though I've never been pregnant enough to need a maternity swimsuit when it's swimming season.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
So*. I was going through the top of my wardrobe, where I keep stuff I don't use very much, sorting my nursing stuff out from my swimsuits (they had gotten mixed up somehow.) I found a maternity top that had been overlooked when I was getting down my maternity clothes (and putting up my nursing clothes, incidentally.) Now, this top buttons up the front and ties in the back to adjust size. The last time I wore it was the day before Emma was born. It was then washed and put away. So I decided to wear it today.
It wouldn't button. I am apparently bigger than I was the day before Emma was born! I had to undo the tie and button it, then re-tie it to adjust for my new size.
I feel SO attractive. I have gained almost 45 lbs. this time (last time I gained 24 by the very end, I think), but it's not fat. I mean, the part in my, um, chestal area is, but most of it is just mega baby and tons of amniotic fluid. I can feel when I poke my belly how it's all in the uterus (except maybe all that water I'm retaining.) My belly button is poking OUT, which didn't happen until the very end with Ems. I haven't gained in my thighs or anything.
And yet people still look at me when I drop the pregnancy into conversation and say, "Oh, you're pregnant?" Or they ask how far along I am and am shocked; apparently, I don't look that big to them! Or, you know, they just think I'm fat. Maybe it's the way I dress.
Sorry. Hormonal woman ranting.
Did I mention how HUNGRY I am all the time?
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, and I forgot about the hot flashes that now accompany my Braxton-Hicks (which, btw, are getting much stronger and longer and closer together. It's enough to think I may not make it to the 20th! Which, honestly, would be okay with me if it means I don't have a 12-lb. baby.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I feel like I've become a bit of an emotional wreck. Maybe it's because I woke up at around 2:15 last night and didn't fall asleep again for two hours, so I'm overtired. But I also just want this baby to get here. I'm sick of not knowing if I can make commitments, like a baby shower tomorrow. All the time, I'm thinking, "If I went into labor, what would I do if I were there? How long would it take me to get to the hospital if there were an emergency?"
The thing is, when I'm dilated 3 cm (at least) already, I don't think I'll have as much "early labor" warning as usual, so when I'm in labor, I'll probably be in active labor and will need to get to the hospital fast. *sigh*
And it's driving me nuts to know that I'm this close to having a baby and he's not quite coming. Maybe he's holding out for April Fool's Day or my sister's birthday or some other landmark. Funny, baby. Real funny.
quote:Originally posted by Brinestone: The thing is, when I'm dilated 3 cm (at least) already, I don't think I'll have as much "early labor" warning as usual
Don't count on that! I mean, be prepared for the possibility (as you clearly are), but don't assume your labor will be short.
*hug* I remember the any-minute-now stage. It lasted 5 weeks with my third. (from my 37th week to 13 days after my due date)
posted
Ick, yeah. I was 3 cm. dilated when I was induced, 3 days past my supposed due date (they later estimated, based on Emma, at least a week and a half in reality.) I had been dilated like that for at least a week.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was 3 cm for 4.5 weeks before Aerin was born and they weren't even sure if my membrane ever ruptured, so don't worry about missing early labor.
I swear, it almost seems like a race between y'all (kq and Brinestone). Of course, I'm rooting for each of you to go when it's best for you and the baby, but it's exciting to wonder who will be first.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
And my mom has the 20th as her day off, so that might be a good day to schedule the birth. ![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
), or anything, really, except a car seat and nursing bras. Pretty much the only thing we need to pick up for this one is diapers, which can be bought while I'm in the hospital once we figure out what size we're going to need; Ems still even uses the extra-gentle newborn baby wipes. And heck, Emma's even sleeping in her toddler bed, so we're well past that struggle! ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
When you put it that way...
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Wall Bash]](graemlins/wallbash.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
I swear, if there's a pregnancy symptom, I get it. I almost collapsed at church again today.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
I have gained almost 45 lbs. this time (last time I gained 24 by the very end, I think), but it's not fat. I mean, the part in my, um, chestal area is, but most of it is just mega baby and tons of amniotic fluid. I can feel when I poke my belly how it's all in the uterus (except maybe all that water I'm retaining.) My belly button is poking OUT, which didn't happen until the very end with Ems. I haven't gained in my thighs or anything.![[Kiss]](graemlins/kiss.gif)
