-
-
Crystal, Thanks very much for your question. How you are feeling is very normal. With each baby that you have your uterus and skin become more relaxed and stretchier. This is what causes you to “show” earlier than you may have with your other children. Please know that there is no reason for you to be anxious about this pregnancy.
Although you are older than with your others, you are certainly quite young. I have no doubt that your life is very busy with three children. Please try to take good care of yourself; eat healthy foods and rest as you need to.
-
-
I having a hard time deciding on whether or not to cont with my pregnacy. I am only about 6 1/2 weeks long. I’m about to be 33 years old and currently have no children. My partner is leaning more towards me not continueing but I am thinking I would like to be a mom. All the circumstances would say not have the baby: finacially, early into relationship w/ my partner, and just a bad ecomony in general. I feel very confused on my feeling about which choice I should make. Any advice…
-
T Fort, Thank you for your question. Deciding whether or not to have children is such a personal choice, it is impossible for me to offer you advice. This is a very serious topic for you and your partner to work through. You may find Planned Parenthood to be a good source of more information. I wish you all the best.
-
-
My husband and I are starting to try for our 2nd baby. We currently have a 2 year old. My question is whether or not we should wait until I get the swine flu vaccine or if we should continue to try? Also, what trimester is safest to receive the vaccine, if I do become pregnant before getting the vaccine? Thanks for your insight!
-
Hi Candice, Thanks for your great question and I wish you much happiness on expanding your family.
It is perfectly fine to keep trying for your second baby, even before you receive the vaccine. The vaccine (shot) is a killed version of the virus so you are not at risk for becoming ill with it. The nasal drop version of the vaccine is a live virus and you should not receive that one at any time during pregnancy or while you are trying to conceive. It is safe to receive the H1N1 (Swine flu) vaccine during any trimester of pregnancy. I do recommend that you get the vaccine as soon as possible, when it becomes available.
If you haven’t already, please take a look at my Sept.24th blog post specifically on the H1N1 vaccine. I wish you all the best.
-
-
My wife is 24 weeks pregnant with twin girls. She is 41 years old, and we have a 3-year-old boy through natural conception. The twins were conceived through in-vitro fertilization.
My question is this: My wife is very depressed and anxious, and her obstetrician has prescribed Ativan, in what he describes as a very low dose. Is this common, and is it safe? My wife’s family has said that she should just “snap out of it.” How can I deal with them, and how can I assure her that she will be okay? Prior to this pregnancy, she never had these kinds of problems.
-
Depression or anxiety before, during, or after pregnancy is a real medical condition that can happen to any woman, for a wide variety of reasons. Your wife might be feeling extremely overwhelmed at having twins when she already has a young child. Also, the powerful pregnancy hormones her body is producing may be causing major mood changes.
Ativan, or lorazepam, is an antianxiety drug often used briefly in pregnancy. Especially if the dose is low, the benefits probably outweigh the risks. I strongly suggest, however, that your wife ask her obstetrician for a referral to a mentalhealth professional, who will have more expertise in current treatments for depression and anxiety. Talking with another woman who has experienced depression during pregnancy or after birth might be very helpful for your wife as well. As for your wife’s family, you can tell them that a person can’t just “snap out” of depression and that the condition can be life threatening. Remind them that your wife is under a doctor’s care, and assure them that she is being helped.
-
-
-
There is no time when lifting is absolutely safe or unsafe. If you aren’t under any medical limitations, you can follow these guidelines. During the first trimester, you can do whatever you did before your pregnancy. For example, if you were comfortably able to lift 30 pounds before, then you could still do so, unless you are feeling too fatigued. Good body mechanics and back-saving techniques are always important: Bend at the knees rather than the waist to lift a heavy object. During the second trimester, you will probably feel more energetic, so this may be the best time for projects such as rearranging the furniture and decorating. You can lift things carefully, keeping in mind that your center of gravity has changed and that you will be less balanced in certain positions. I recommend against lifting any amount of weight that causes you to strain. During your third trimester, it is best to leave the lifting to others. You need to reserve your energy and strength, and at this stage, it is much more difficult to maintain balance when lifting. If you must lift something heavy, have another person help you, and never lift more than you comfortably can.
If you are going to be moving into a new home or renovating the current one, it’s best to get resettled a couple of months before the baby arrives. If you must take on a physically demanding project in late pregnancy, obtain as much help as you can get. You might invite over a group of friends, supply the pizza and sodas or beer, and have a party while getting the heavy work done. This can make for some happy memories after the baby is born.
-
-
-
Babies have activity cycles just as we do. They can be more active or less so at different times of the day. Within an hour, they will have, on average, one 20-minute sleep cycle. They move more during the hour or so after Mom has eaten a meal, in response to the rise in her blood sugar. You may notice a few more punches, rolls, or kicks during that time.
Many women say that they feel their babies move the most at night. This could be because the baby starts moving when you stop or because you simply notice the baby’s movements more when you slow down.
-
-
I’m having a minor panic attack! I have just been prescribed full bed rest and Brethine because of preterm labor. My doctor assured me that this is an appropriate, safe medication, but someone on an e-mail list told me that Brethine is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use by pregnant women, and that it causes all kinds of problems in the baby, especially gastrointestinal.
Is this true? Now I don’t know what to think, and I’m terrified that my baby might be harmed by this medication.
Please help!
-
Brethine, also known by its generic name terbutaline, is a medication used primarily to treat asthma. It has also been found to be highly effective in stopping preterm uterine contractions. It works on asthma by relaxing the muscles of the lungs; for preterm labor, it has a similar effect on the muscles of the uterus. This drug does have side effects: It speeds up the mother’s and baby’s heart rates, and it can cause nausea, flushing, and nervousness. These symptoms generally are bothersome for the first few days only. Rarely are severe complications seen.
You are correct that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved this drug for pregnancy, but FDA approval for medications takes many years. This medication, like many others, has been used in Europe for preterm labor for years. Studies have shown no increased incidence of short- or long-term developmental problems in children whose mothers were given terbutaline in pregnancy. Whenever the use of medication is considered, it is important to weigh the benefits against the risks. Premature birth can cause a baby significantly more complications than can taking this medication to delay the birth. Always remember to have your practitioner validate medical information that you hear from friends, relatives, or people you encounter on the Internet. Inaccurate information can bring more worry than help.
-
-
I have recently heard some frightening stories about miscarriages occurring in the fourth or fifth month. I thought my miscarriage worries were over after 12 weeks! I’ve read that sometimes the initial symptoms are very subtle, just a slight pressure and a slightly heavier discharge. Well… how slight? I’m in my seventeenth week, and my abdomen sometimes feels heavy. I find myself wanting to hold it up. Is this just a normal symptom of pregnancy?
-
The thought of miscarriage is always frightening, and a little information can cause much needless worry. Very often, a brief description of a pregnancy complication in a book or on the Internet turns out to be more upsetting than useful. Although second-trimester losses do occur, they are unusual, and they are very often related to an already known problem with the pregnancy.
One possible cause of late miscarriage is preterm labor. The symptoms of preterm labor can be subtle, since the cervix can dilate, or open, and efface, or thin, with or without painful uterine contractions. But usually, these cervical changes are accompanied by frequent, rhythmic uterine contractions that feel like menstrual cramps or are more painful. Any such contractions before your 37th week of pregnancy should be reported to your practitioner. Feeling pressure from your growing uterus is quite normal.
After about 30 weeks, so are mild contractions, called Braxton-Hicks. You may also feel your uterine (round) ligaments stretching, or you may notice some fetal movement that seems different, or “tight.” These normal feelings are sometimes mistaken for labor contractions. Try not to worry about every new sensation during pregnancy. If you are concerned, talk with your doctor or midwife. He or she is a far better source of information and reassurance than your next-door neighbor or the woman in front of you in the grocery line.
-
-
-
In the early stages of pregnancy, as the embryo settles into the uterus, the placenta usually forms in the upper portion of the uterus. This area is called the fundus. With a lowlying placenta, however, the placenta forms in a lower portion of the uterus. This is a problem only if the placenta covers all or part of the cervix. If the entire cervix is covered, the condition is called placenta previa. It is not safe to deliver the baby vaginally when the mother has placenta previa, since the passing of the placenta first could cause serious bleeding in both mom and baby. In this case, a cesarean is needed. Generally, however, a low-lying placenta moves up and away from the cervix as the uterus expands. Although the placenta is attached to the uterine wall, the expanding uterine muscle shifts the placenta upward.
Because a low-lying placenta can cause bleeding, your doctor may have already placed you on “pelvic rest.” You will have an ultrasound scan later in your pregnancy to determine where your placenta is positioned. If it is out of the way of the cervix, you can resume your normal activities, including sex, and you can expect to deliver your baby safely vaginally.
-
-
-
Getting sick while you are pregnant isn’t fair! Colds can be especially bothersome if your sinuses are already feeling stuffy from the extra blood flow you now have. You mentioned both antihistamines and decongestants. Let me differentiate them. An antihistamine relieves the itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, and other symptoms of environmental allergies such as hay fever. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is an example of an antihistamine. A decongestant relieves the stuffy nose and ear congestion frequently caused by a common-cold virus or sinus inflammation (sinusitis). A typical decongestant is pseudoephedrine, which comes under a variety of brand names. Pseudoephedrine is considered safe for use during pregnancy. Until recently, this drug was readily available on grocery and drugstore shelves.
Currently, pseudoephedrine products are kept out of reach of shoppers and available only on request. This is because pseudoephedrine is used in the illegal manufacturing of methamphetamine. Although no prescription is necessary in most states, you will have to show your driver’s license or other personal identification to buy the drug. Some cold medication manufacturers have replaced pseudoephedrine with phenylephrine, but many people feel that the replacement does not work as well. Nor has the use of phenylephrine during pregnancy been as well studied as that of pseudoephedrine.
Please talk to your doctor or midwife before taking any of these medications. If you are having aches or a fever, your practitioner may suggest that you take acetaminophen instead. In any case, you should rest as much as possible.
-
About Tori Kropp
Known as "the Dear Abby of pregnancy," Tori has been interviewed on national television and radio and in national print publications, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Washington Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution and Chicago Sun-Times.
By using Ask Tori RN®, you acknowledge having read our health advice disclaimer.
Ask Your Question
I am 9 weeks according to my last period and I am starting to show already … I have 3 other children and am a little older with this one (36). I feel like I’m very bloated up high, just under my breast and it gets really hard sometimes and hurts. Is there something wrong ? I know I’m feeling very anxious about this pregnancy due to the fact that I am alot older than with the other 3. Is it just me being a worrier or should I be concerned about the odd way that I’m feeling ?