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granolamom
June 14, 2009 - 6:00am
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cystocele IS horrifying!
I'll second that! at least in the beginning anyway.
I'm a few weeks behind you, about 17 weeks pg or so. I have had a row of days with uncommon exhaustion too. I take that as a sign that I need to take better care of myself. its so easy as a parent to put myself last, but I *will* start to fall apart if I let that go on for too long. or you could be fighting off something. another thing I've found, I think it happens around the sixth month, is crazy fatigue and increased weight gain for a few weeks. If I remember correctly, I think I read somewhere that this correlates with an enormous increase in blood production or something like that. 'course I'm no dr and can't remember my source, but it can never hurt to make sure that you're eating well, getting enough protein and iron.
don't know if my 2 yo still qualifies as a toddler, he thinks/acts like he's 5, but I'm still lifting. I didnt realize that was a rule (or maybe I'm in denial as its not possible for me not to lift on a regular basis). I try my best to check the position of my pelvis before I lift, which admittedly gets harder as the pg progresses.
for self care, I find getting on my hands and knees and letting my low back arch and sag helps relieve pelvic pressure and also helps get the blood flowing. feels good for me.
in theory I'd take a long hot bath on a regular basis, but our master bath only has a stall shower and my kids' bath is anything but relaxing.
also, walking maintaining posture as well as I can is always wonderful. as I get bigger, my low spine takes on a mind of its own, but last time around I was able to keep my upper spine lengthened the entire pg. the flapping while walking really seems to help pull me up too.
I haven't tried the plies while pg, but I've been thinking about it.
aside from that, keeping your diet nourishing but light, lots of water, avoid constipation!
I really believe that the mind/body connection will work for me, so when I'm feeling low (ie prolapse-y) I do things for myself that make me feel good. and I do find that the prolapse responds. could be in my mind, but who cares.
try not to let this scare you. fear during labor will work against you.
what are your birth plans?
davemayamom
June 14, 2009 - 6:39am
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I Remember..
Hi Phoebe,
I remember that feeling. I think I was at my worst between 20-24 weeks. Things did get better, then really bulky at the end. Granolamom has given you some great advice. Have you looked into the prenatal cradle? It really WILL take some of the pressure off. I started wearing mine quite early (22 weeks). Another thing that will help to relieve pressure is swimming - take your son or go alone. Can you put your son in daycare for part of the day to get some rest? I know it is exhausting chasing a little one when you can't keep up to them, and shouldn't be lifting them......I know mine was outside my vagina too, but I was too scared to look once I found out it wasn't a varicose vein. Take it one day at a time, and rest when you can. Things will get better. You are more than half way there!
phoebe9
June 15, 2009 - 11:08am
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Thanks...
Thanks, guys. Congrats, granolamom, on your pregnancy!! You are right, I am not sure there is a "rule" on lifting, my OB just told me to avoid it as much as possible. My 2 yo and I are working on "walking like a big boy" down the stairs and getting hugs "down low" (rather than Mom swooping him up in her arms). But it's hard to break habits! I will try all fours more often, and pay more attention to posture. And hire more babysitting help!!
Davemaya, thanks for your insight too. I'm going to consult my OB about the prenatal cradle today - I found it "on sale" on one site. Seems like it's worth a try, especially because I've been feeling so unstable in my pelvis lately - pubic symphysis bone (spelling?) feels like it is separating already and I just feel wobbly. I have not been to my PT at all, which I was thinking of doing, because when I emailed her at 11 weeks about the uterine prolapse she had a really hysterical response and recommended bedrest for the rest of the pregnancy!! So I may avoid her... as much as she helped me recover from baby #1, I don't need someone freaking out along with me - I need someone telling me how to heal.
I think my symptoms are a wake up call to take this seriously - I was probably being a little cavalier about the whole thing and overdoing it. It's hard to feel limited like this!
Oh - granolamom - you asked about my birth plans. I'm taking a Hypnobabies course and am imagining natural childbirth as possible. I also talked to my OB about different birthing positions. She has stopped teasing me about needing her own epidural if I forgo one, and is working with me very collaboratively, and DH is going to take hypnobabies with me of course. So my team is a bit more cohesive now that they realize that I am serious about this! :-) I guess I DO feel scared of one thing, though, and that's pushing. I just feel like it is so bad for me to bear down at all. How did you manage this in your birth experiences?
For both of you guys - do you find Kegels of ANY use in pregnancy? I've been doing mine sporadically, I have to admit.
Hugs to all-
Phoebe
davemayamom
June 15, 2009 - 12:44pm
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Hi Phoebe, Glad you calmed
Hi Phoebe,
Glad you calmed down. Things will get better, and you will feel much less pressure with the baby weight off! Just for the record I wore 3 supports and I don't think I could have survived without everyone of them: prenatal cradle, V2, and and sijt compression belt. It was quite the routine to get out of bed every morning to put them on! I did really feel so much better with them. My Sijt kept coming out of place throughout my pregnancy - I felt more stable with it on! Of course I wore all of this in the fall and winter months - not so fun to wear it during the hot summer!
As for kegels, I didn't really do them much. Of course I thought my problem was something else til' 30 weeks, but even then I didn't do them. I don't think it would have made much of a difference. When things were really bad, I was going to the bathroom at least once an hour, sometimes every 5 minutes. The pressure on my bladder was really horrible. It did get better around 25 weeks or so....the frequency and pressure really subsided.
As for the delivery, don't stress about pushing. Your body will tell you what to do. I pushed my girl out because the urge was SOOO strong. What I didn't do was hold my breath and bear down like they were telling me to. I exhaled with each push because that is what I felt best doing (I didn't do this with my son, although I remember wanting to, they told my to hold my breath ie.. don't make a sound with the pushing). My daughter responded much better to this and did not have a drop in heart rate like my son did. In fact the doctors and nurses and kept saying how beautifully she was behaving!
It's tough, but you will get there. And you will feel much better after you hveour darling daughter!
Janice
granolamom
June 15, 2009 - 2:50pm
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no-push birth & kegels
when I was in my 9th month last time, sue posted a link for a 'no-push' birth. I read it, and thought it was interesting enough to give it a try.
honestly, I did not push the baby out at all. the uterus did all the work, so there definitely WAS pressure pushing him out, but I didn't add to it. I also was on my hands and knees, in hopes of keeping my bladder safely out of the way. just tried to keep the tailbone up.
as far as kegels, I only do 'em when they're fun to do ; )