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My husband wanted our son circumcised because he himself was, and thought it was better overall. Me, not having a penis, didn't really have much to say about it. I read up on it, but the argument was valid enough for both sides that I never really formed an opinion. Chris came back from his surgery with a pacifier and Tylenol and seemed pretty undisturbed. Aside from being a little extra sleepy for a few hours he suffered no ill effects - I think I was more distressed at how red and painful looking his penis looked. After a few weeks of gooping it up with Vaseline every diaper change he was fine.
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Aug 22, 2012 05:43
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Coincidently I read this BBC article last night about circumcision, not about the pros and cons of the physical act really but more about the changing attitudes in the US and comparing it to other countries http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19072761 Interestingly it says that circumsision was a lot more common in the UK before the NHS. The NHS wouldn't cover it as a necessary procedure so rates plummeted from 30% to about 9%. As regards to sex and circumcision, I don't really get what you would do with a circumcised penis as the foreskin seems quite a necessary part of the whole process. My husband says it just involves a lot more lube.
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Aug 22, 2012 08:43
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hookerbot 5000 posted:As regards to sex and circumcision, I don't really get what you would do with a circumcised penis as the foreskin seems quite a necessary part of the whole process. My husband says it just involves a lot more lube. Huh? You do the same thing with a circumcised penis as you do with an uncut one.
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Aug 22, 2012 12:25
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Chickalicious posted:Have you seen this blog? http://www.milkjunkies.net/ It's about a transgendered male who had a baby and he discusses their struggles with breastfeeding. It pooped up on my radar recently because his leader application to La Leche League was rejected because he identifies as a father. I hadn't seen that before, thanks! I plan to do that for at least the first few months, and just seeing an honest male perspective on the whole process is refreshing. I'm pre-surgery, though, so my experience may be a bit easier as all parts are currently stock. :P @Ben Davis: You're amazing. I tried the peanut butter before I slept and managed to only wake up once last night. Best sleep I've gotten in months.
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Aug 22, 2012 17:51
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hookerbot 5000 posted:Coincidently I read this BBC article last night about circumcision, not about the pros and cons of the physical act really but more about the changing attitudes in the US and comparing it to other countries The foreskin retracts during arousal, so I'm not sure how not having a foreskin to begin with would impede someone having sex. Please explain, you've left me genuinely confused.
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Aug 22, 2012 18:45
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Bodnoirbabe posted:The foreskin retracts during arousal, so I'm not sure how not having a foreskin to begin with would impede someone having sex. Please explain, you've left me genuinely confused. Well I guess I was thinking more about masturbation than sex, and assuming the same process was at work internally. Without wanting to be too graphic, when I'm using my hand it's pulling down on the shaft retracting the foreskin down the head, then back up so the foreskin is covering it again. The same with oral sex - foreskin goes over and back down as the skin of the shaft is moved. Obviously I know circumcised men can have sex and masturbate but it just seems in my non penis having view that there would be less give for the back and forward bits. I tried googling it to see if there is a difference (and now I really hope no one checks my internet history).
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Aug 22, 2012 19:01
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1) Skin is pretty pliable 2) You don't have to use the Death Grip
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Aug 22, 2012 19:17
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hookerbot 5000 posted:Well I guess I was thinking more about masturbation than sex, and assuming the same process was at work internally. I imagine it's just about using lots of lube, since a HJ for me can either be lubeless with the foreskin going up and down or with the foreskin pulled back and just lots of lube. So about that pregnancy, eh? We had a 5-hour birthing class on Saturday with a second 5-hour one this Saturday, it was extremely informative. Nice mix of technical information and strategies to make everything go smoothly. The funny thing was that the teacher opened the class saying how they were completely open to all forms of birth yadayada, then our assigned reading for the week was 90% about the negative repercussions of epidurals/induction.
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Aug 22, 2012 19:19
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Bodnoirbabe posted:The foreskin retracts during arousal Not always. I can see where hookerbot is coming from. Not all circumcised men are that pliable when aroused just like not all non-circumcised men have foreskin that fully retracts. Back on the topic of babies: My son had his frenuloplasty yesterday. It went really well. He was more pissed about having his mouth forced open than the actual snip. Only a drop or two of blood and he was able to nurse immediately afterwards. We're going to our local Breastfeeding support group tonight to work out some latching issues he seems to have post-snip.  He's already a month old! bamzilla fucked around with this message at 19:33 on Aug 22, 2012 |
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Aug 22, 2012 19:29
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Wow. We got really lucky I guess with my daughter.. she was a day old I think, and they noticed she had an elongated frenulum or whatever you refer to that as, and the mohel happened to be running around with hopefully clean scissors, so they asked if we wanted him to handle it right then. Took a little while to get the latch working as well, but at least she could move her tongue out of the way. Also, duckies are pro, you can't go wrong decking out your spawn in duckies.
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Aug 23, 2012 13:17
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We're lucky that his latch wasn't bad from the start, however because of that it took longer to realize it was an issue. We knew about the "tongue tie" day 1, but were told it could resolve itself. After 2 weeks I went to my support group and had him weighed and he hadn't gained a single ounce from his release weight. He'd also only gained .2oz after a feeding - so the next day we had our ped refer us to an ENT (this guy sucked and we had to wait another 2 weeks to see his partner). Anyway, last night we had our first group meeting since his clip and he'd pulled in close to 2oz in less than 10 minutes. So it definitely helped us. He's also up to 9lbs 5.6oz (after exclusively pumping and a small amount of supplementing, ugh) so that's a huge relief. I was told it wasn't necessary but in our situation it definitely was. Basically trust your instincts and your ped. The first ENT was not breastfeeding friendly and didn't see any reason to do it so we asked for a referral to his partner who was amazing (which was why it took longer than the initial 2 weeks). Initially I was unaware that one was more inclined to do it for nursing reasons than the other. Duckies DO rule. His sister also wore them. 
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Aug 23, 2012 13:51
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Hi, thread! I guess I'll be utilizing this part of the forums for a bit since it turns out I'm 10 weeks pregnant. Took a test a week after I should have gotten my period, went to the doctor two weeks ago, and everything was confirmed. So.. there's that! I felt pretty ok for awhile but last week I started getting some pretty bad nausea (though not actually getting sick) during the afternoon/evening more than morning. I'm not sure what's normal and what's not, so I'll be reading this thread for a bit I'm sure.
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Aug 23, 2012 16:19
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I was about to say, Bamzilla - he looks so much like his sister! Oh. The nausea sucks, Dandy Shrew. It's normal, but it is miserable and you have my sympathies. Eating small meals/snacks all day and never letting your stomach be empty can help.
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Aug 23, 2012 19:04
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If you can eat small meals, it helps a ton. Small meals didn't help me at all. Staying hydrated and eating sour things such as oranges, and eating mints helped me. The nausea was terrible, but I wouldn't throw up because I always had a pocketful of mints on hand and would non-stop eat oranges.* Some folks also have heartburn and nausea at the same time. Has anyone experienced that? If so, what did you choose to alleviate the heartburn? -edit- *footnote added: I was happy I could eat anything at all. I lost so much weight during my last pregnancy. This time around my OB/GYN was relieved I wasn't losing weight and was fine with me living off of oranges, mints, ginger ale, and starches. FengShuiNinja fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Aug 23, 2012 |
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Aug 23, 2012 23:36
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FengShuiNinja posted:If you can eat small meals, it helps a ton. Small meals didn't help me at all. Staying hydrated and eating sour things such as oranges or eating mints helped me. My nausea was terrible, but I wouldn't throw up because I always had a pocketful of mints on hand and would non-stop eat oranges. I snacked almost constantly and I had enough costco-brand Tums to supply a branch of the armed forces. I tried to avoid stuff that would cause the heartburn, but it was what I CRAVED, and it got to the point where water would cause heartburn. I gave up on avoiding anything and just ate what I wanted in small portions
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Aug 23, 2012 23:49
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FengShuiNinja posted:
I didn't barf at all but I felt queasy off and on from weeks 7-11 accompanied by heartburn and indigestion. I just started eating every time I felt that way and it helped immensely, usually just something like saltines with cream cheese or a pickle.
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Aug 24, 2012 00:02
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Griping about heartburn: I feel like I've been living entirely off of antacid tablets. Dairy helps some people, but I'm lactose intolerant. I had read a scientific peer-reviewed article (and I can't believe I lost it!) linking heartburn to hairy babies. My daughter had tons of hair and this time around the ultrasound tech made a comment my son had 'Don King' hair. That article was written a few years ago. I wonder if there is any new information or if it just ended up being an interesting coincidence.Dandy Shrew posted:I felt pretty ok for awhile but last week I started getting some pretty bad nausea (though not actually getting sick) during the afternoon/evening more than morning. I'm not sure what's normal and what's not. Congratulations on your pregnancy! It's definitely normal. Sometimes 'morning sickness' can last all day too. It also isn't unusual for some nausea to last an entire pregnancy. Have you ever felt nauseated when you get too warm? That can occur too.
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Aug 24, 2012 00:42
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My sister in law currently lives with us and she ate all my tums and didn't tell me or replace them.  I now have secret stashes.
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Aug 24, 2012 01:33
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Hi there! I'm 34 weeks pregnant with my first child. I know that the third trimester is supposed to be very uncomfortable and that sleep is supposed to be very rare, but aside from Tylenol and sucking it up, is there anything I can do to make myself more comfortable? My main complaint is the back and rib pain. My right side, especially. It gets to the point where sitting or lying down, it's impossible to get comfortable. I've tried stretching, taking Tylenol and using a heating pad, but nothing helps. I have lupus as well, and I don't know if this has anything to do with it. Whenever I bring it up with my OB, he shrugs it off as 'well, that's pregnancy for you'. I don't bother to bring it up anymore because I don't want to come off as a whiner. Also, I have non-stress tests twice a week because of the lupus. At my last stress test, the fetal movement and heartbeat were great, but apparently I was having mild and regular contractions. The nurse didn't think it was anything to be concerned about, and told me to be sure to drink plenty of fluids and to stay off of my feet. If I had six or more in an hour, than go to labor and delivery. The only problem is that I didn't feel the contractions at all, so I'm worried that I could be contracting and not know it. Has anyone else ever had this issue? It has me really worried.
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Aug 24, 2012 02:58
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Do you have any sleep pillows? I used a body pillow with my first and this second time I just put a regular pillow between my legs when I laid on my side. There are several pregnancy pillows on the market, too.
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Aug 24, 2012 03:20
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I do have a body pillow that I sleep with, and it's helped tremendously with hip pain. It doesn't do anything for the back and rib pain, though. I'm pretty sure it's because of how he's sitting because when I stand up, the rib pain eases up a lot. Probably because he has more room.
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Aug 24, 2012 03:23
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Dandy Shrew posted:Hi, thread! I guess I'll be utilizing this part of the forums for a bit since it turns out I'm 10 weeks pregnant. Took a test a week after I should have gotten my period, went to the doctor two weeks ago, and everything was confirmed. Congrats!  I had bad nausea and heartburn (but never vomited, luckily) through most of my first trimester. It tapered off in the second, and now I'm a bit nauseous again in the third. I felt infinitely better when I ate a little bit and stayed hydrated. And my nausea came mostly in the afternoon/evening, too. My doctor said it was normal. I hear they make 'mommy lollipops' that are supposed to help with nausea. Ginger helps, too. CravingSolace fucked around with this message at 03:48 on Aug 24, 2012 |
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Aug 24, 2012 03:37
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CravingSolace posted:Hi there! I'm 34 weeks pregnant with my first child. Is your back and rib pain muscle pain or is it something else? If it is muscle pain, massage can help. I'm being seen by a massage therapist because I have horrible back pain as well. I'm surprised your OB/GYN is brushing you off. Do you have a doctor who specializes with Lupus? Perhaps they would have better insight. My sister-in-law had lupus during her pregnancy and complained of similar things. She was also retaining a lot of fluid. Is this happening with you? Compression stockings/TED Hose are an enormous help if you are experiencing fluid retention in your legs. It sounds like the nurses are describing Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are mild 'warm up' contractions. Sometimes they occur when a pregnant woman is dehydrated. Braxton-Hicks contraction are sometimes called 'false contractions'. Do your best to keep hydrated. 'Real' contractions feel different for everyone. Mine were intense and were accompanied by lower back cramps. Other ladies' contractions may feel different to them. To other ladies: What were your contractions like? I hope I helped a bit with some of your questions. -edit- Link added FengShuiNinja fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Aug 24, 2012 |
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Aug 24, 2012 03:57
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FengShuiNinja posted:Is your back and rib pain muscle pain or is it something else? If it is muscle pain, massage can help. I'm being seen by a massage therapist because I have horrible back pain as well. I do have a rhuematologist that I see and I'm actually scheduled to see him next month. I can certainly give him a call though and see if he has any ideas that could help. He did blood work the last time I saw him and everything came back fine, so I wasn't sure if the lupus could be a part of it. My back feels like it's definitely muscular, but the rib pain (which is the most intense) almost feels like when I cracked a rib a few years ago. It hurts to do anything, except stand. I'm not retaining water and haven't suffered any swelling, thankfully. And yeah, I think they were Braxton Hicks contractions. I do feel a lot better when I drink more water. We moved to Arizona last September, and I forget that I need to drink a lot more due to the heat.
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Aug 24, 2012 04:02
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CravingSolace, Glad to read the water is helping. When I was pregnant with my daughter I had moved from a temperate climate to a very hot one. I kept a gallon jug of water with me at all times. Have you had the chance to discuss the rib pain with anyone? Describe the type of pain (sharp or dull, intense/etc), Location(s) of pain, and what activities make the pain worse. Many times doctors nod and say 'Uh huh. Pain. Sucks to be you.' if the pain isn't specifically described in this manner. Massage could help with your back pain. If you can find a massage therapist or a massage school that specializes in pregnancy massage--Go immediately. My back is permanently damaged and massage has been a lifesaver. I'm 36 weeks pregnant and this kid is NOT making my back feel any better.
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Aug 24, 2012 04:18
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FengShuiNinja posted:CravingSolace, I tried to discuss the rib pain with my OB, but he dismisses it as 'yup, that's what happens when you're pregnant', so I feel embarrassed and drop the subject. There's a massage center down the road. I'll see if they can give me a massage. Is it safe to lay down on my stomach?
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Aug 24, 2012 04:55
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They will have a special setup for you, make sure you tell them you're pregnant when you make the appointment. Some places have tables & bolsters that can be adjusted so you can lie on your stomach & back. The place I went yesterday for my massage had me lie on my side with a huge pillow between my legs.
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Aug 24, 2012 12:56
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I'm sorry your OB is blowing you off, CravingSolace. Mine is kind of like that too--one of the reasons I stuck with him for my second pregnancy is that everyone else in that office is extremely nice and helpful. Do they have a nurse you can call for questions and advice? This time around I know to call and talk to the nurse. On the subject of contractions--yeah, I didn't know I was having contractions until I was in the hospital when my water broke and they showed me on a monitor. It just felt like I needed to have a bowel movement. I'd been up all night with "indigestion." I gather that's pretty common for the early phase of labor.
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Aug 24, 2012 13:29
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RE: Contractions BH contractions weren't all that noticeable to me either. My belly would just go rigid like a volleyball for a little bit, and sometimes I would be a little short of breath. I'd usually get one from going up stairs, or every few minutes when out on a walk. I didn't even realize I was having them until my midwife pointed one out to me. Real contractions started off as "huh, isn't this fun? I'm going to have a baby!" while I was dilating (which was relatively easy and not so painful) and progressed to "OMG will it ever stop? I'll do anything to make it stop!" during my loooooooooong pushing stage. Every body is different. My best advice is to pace yourself early on because labor seems like an eternity, and you'll need your mental and physical reserves for the pushing part. One thing I didn't expect about birth was how loving amazing it feels to be done. I can't imagine any better feeling in the world - that natural rush of hormones is just incredible. I felt like I could get up and run around the building; I'm getting a little rush just thinking about it.
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Aug 24, 2012 15:08
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CravingSolace posted:I tried to discuss the rib pain with my OB, but he dismisses it as 'yup, that's what happens when you're pregnant', so I feel embarrassed and drop the subject. The doctor has no right to treat you that way. If there is a midwife, RN, or Nurse-Practitioner in the building--please request to see them. If he continues to be dismissive you have the right to complain about his attitude toward your concerns. He should not make you feel embarrassed because you have (what sounds like) major rib pain. I had to switch practices during my 2nd trimester because all of the OB staff and midwives were very dismissive while I was FAINTING AND FALLING ON THE FLOOR. My regular doctor knew me best and he made the referral to a new pregnancy center as well as wrote a doctor's note saying I was in no condition to work or go to school. All of the pregnancy staff said 'oh, fainting is normal'. FYI--Having blood pressure of 79/40 is NOT normal and falling down frequently and blacking out is NOT normal. You, as a patient, have the right to have your voice and concerns heard. Your pregnancy center should have a print out telling you what your patient rights are. Not just HIPAA rights, but the rights that include how you are to be treated while you are in their practice.
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Aug 24, 2012 15:34
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FengShuiNinja posted:All of the pregnancy staff said 'oh, fainting is normal'. What the gently caress. I mean...part of me is amused by the horrible image of a world where pregnant women are routinely flopping over in a faint every few days, but what the gently caress.
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Aug 24, 2012 15:59
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They do have a wonderful nursing staff, which is one of the reasons why I stayed with him this long. One of the other OB's there is also a woman who is much more personable. She saw me one day when he was busy, and she actually stayed to talk to me for more than two minutes. The next time I'm there, I'll speak to the nurses and see if it's possible to be switched to her. My OB is a nice enough guy, but it almost seems like he's hesitant to touch me and is very quiet, which makes me uncomfortable. This is a man who is going to be staring at my vagina and catching my baby; I at least want to feel comfortable with him. I'm going to call my rhuematologist today, too, and see if I can possibly bump my appointment up sooner, and I'll see if I can book an appointment to get a massage at the place down the road. The back pain sucks, but the rib pain is pretty much unbearable. I don't want to switch out of the OB office at this point because he's the only high-risk doctor nearby, and I only have six weeks left. But yeah, if I could switch to the other doctor in the office, that'd be great. Thank you so much for the advice guys, I really do appreciate it.
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Aug 24, 2012 16:26
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We're glad we could help! Luckily, you wouldn't need to switch out of the office if that one doctor is the problem. This is my opinion: You should complain about him. It doesn't matter about how nice he is. What matters is the patient care he has given you. From what you've been describing, it's been sub-par at best. See your complaint as constructive criticism that will help him do his job better. Consider yourself fortunate that 90% of the other staff are doing a great job. Request the female OB/GYN and write down a list of concerns before your visit with her so you won't forget anything. She will probably ask, "On a scale from Zero to 10, what is your pain?" Zero is no pain and 10 is 'I got hit by a truck/in so much pain I fainted'. Remember to list amount, type, duration, and which activities make the pain worse. Good luck! Tell us if anyone has solutions/remedies for your rib pain. FengShuiNinja fucked around with this message at 16:49 on Aug 24, 2012 |
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Aug 24, 2012 16:44
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I actually had an ultrasound and stress test this morning. The ultrasound showed a perfect-looking 5lb 5oz little boy, and the non-stress test was great, too. No contractions this time, just little increments of cramping. I have an appointment with my OB next Tuesday. If he still refuses to address my pain, then I'll request another doctor when I check out. I also have a childbirth class tomorrow, so I'm hoping that someone there can give me some advice on dealing with this pain. I also brought up getting a massage with my husband and he agreed that it's a good idea to look into it, so I'll be doing that as well. The ultrasound showed that he's head-down with his butt pressed against my right ribs, right where the pain is. I'm guessing that that's what's causing the pain. I've tried switching positions and trying to get him to shift, but he's stubborn and apparently very comfortable where he is. I'm a bit surprised that my left ribs don't bother me, since he kicks at them. It might be because I've fractured my right ribs previously, and he's just aggravating an old wound. I'll be sure to ask my doctor and the instructor about it.
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Aug 24, 2012 19:53
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So, I have some good news! I had my childbirth class today, and I told my instructor about my back and rib pain. She showed me different positions I could do to help relieve the pain, and showed my husband different massage techniques. The combination of the two helped a lot with the pain. My favorite position at the moment is either laying on my side with a pillow between my legs while he massages my back and side, or sitting backwards in a chair with a pillow while he gives me a massage. I also feel a lot more prepared after the class. Most of what she covered I already knew, but my husband learned how to be a really good coach for me. The staff at the hospital is also really great, and the rooms are spacious and private. They also have a very low c-section rate and are very supportive of both natural and medicated births. So, with being able to manage the pain a bit better and having my husband as an even better form of support, I'm feeling better. I still intend to book a massage and am determined to get my OB to either listen to me more, or I'll switch to the other doctor in the office.
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Aug 26, 2012 02:29
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CravingSolace posted:So, I have some good news! That's awesome! I hope you continue to get better support. Have you thought about a doula at all? My friend is a doula and is awesome at advocating against lovely OBs.
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Aug 26, 2012 15:56
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I would have loved to have a doula. I just don't know if we could afford to hire one at this point. Our instructor yesterday was also a doula, and I have her number and email address if I have any questions.
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Aug 26, 2012 16:02
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Is a little bit of brown spotting anything I should be overly concerned with? I am about 6 weeks pregnant, and this morning I have had some slight spotting going on. Nothing bright red, and not a lot. Hopefully it ends soon. I don't have any other issues going on as far as cramping, etc at this point.
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Aug 26, 2012 16:45
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sheri posted:Is a little bit of brown spotting anything I should be overly concerned with? I am about 6 weeks pregnant, and this morning I have had some slight spotting going on. Nothing bright red, and not a lot. Hopefully it ends soon. I don't have any other issues going on as far as cramping, etc at this point. Nope. It's pretty normal. Cramping, bright red blood, heavy flow, and clots are what you should be watching for before you become alarmed.
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Aug 26, 2012 17:01
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A bit of cramping and muscular pain can also be normal, too. As long as it's not severe or in combination with the kind of flow bamzilla mentions it's generally nothing scary.
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Aug 26, 2012 17:07
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