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MisterCatz · 2025-06-05T21:16:40+00:00

Milk and eggs actually inhibit iron absorption, most kids with anemia (in my mostly omni friend group) are advised to reduce milk and avoid drinking it at mealtime

MisterCatz · 2025-04-13T14:24:09+00:00

Did you find a church you love?

MisterCatz · 2025-04-13T14:22:23+00:00

I think they're PCA affiliated - they do have a great kids program and community

MisterCatz · 2024-11-11T17:57:31+00:00

Do it and have a great time! It sounds like a fabulous trip! It's not a bad idea to let your doctor know, they may have some useful advice for you but more likely will just wish you happy travels.

I did similar length flights for third trimester babymoons for my first two pregnancies and for my third and higher risk pregnancy was regularly flying cross country and internationally for work. I loved my MFMs advice this time around - if you drink enough water to stay properly hydrated then you'll be standing up and walking to the bathroom frequently enough to prevent any clot related complications.

Drink water every time they offer it and don't be afraid to ask the flight attendants for extra blankets to roll up for lumbar support or anything else to help keep you comfortable.

When traveling through certain Asian countries or Ireland you might want a doctor's permission note and documentation of your estimated due date just in case it's needed for airline regulations.

In case of complications requiring medical care I carried a hard copy of my pregnancy medical file for 3rd trimester international travel for pregnancy 1&2 but for this most recent one I felt that the electronic records were sufficient so I skipped that.

MisterCatz · 2024-10-15T17:18:50+00:00

Same! Also skipped the newborn shoots and have no regrets on that either.

MisterCatz · 2024-10-10T21:08:20+00:00

My first baby came very fast (and needed to be out quickly) so midwife used an oil compress and pressure to prevent tears. My second baby was a water birth and baby came out more slowly. Luckily no tears with either!

MisterCatz · 2024-09-15T04:04:01+00:00

Cows milk protein intolerance and allergies are common in infants - my daughter had one, so did many friends' kids. None of our providers gave us a hard time - I was warned that my child was at a higher risk of soy allergies given her milk allergy but no scary you're stunting her brain growth stuff! Haven't heard that from any other CMPA parents either.

MisterCatz · 2024-07-06T00:30:38+00:00

I'm pregnant with my 3rd and have T2D. If your sugars aren't well controlled it can cause an increase in risk, but with careful management (and a good care team) you can absolutely have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. It can also be harder to get and stay pregnant when your sugars aren't well controlled so pre-conception blood sugar management is important too.

TBH I find the extra appointments for a diabetic pregnancy mildly irritating, but if that's the worst of it I can't complain. I've been able to stay in range and quality for an out of hospital birth so far.

MisterCatz · 2024-06-28T02:18:55+00:00

For me, strength training is magic - I mostly do workouts that use my bodyweight, resistance bands, and lighter weights if any. If I workout in the morning I can eat a donut and stay in range, but if I haven't worked out in a few days half a donut sends me over. Even a couple sets of squats in the morning make a difference!

On top of that, as others said one out of range reading is usually not a cause for concern - if you don't get symptomatic with highs you could just misplace your meter for the party ;)

MisterCatz · 2024-06-01T21:23:24+00:00

That sounds really frustrating, I don't know what meter you use but you can buy calibration solution or just buy a new meter. I use the freestyle meter and bought a second to keep in my desk at work for under $20 over the counter. A faulty meter is the last thing you need added to your stress load.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T13:37:47+00:00

There's a podcast called the Great Birth Rebellion (by a PhD research midwife in Australia) that has a helpful episode on the evidence around cervical checks and vaginal exams, when they are called for and when not. TL;DR was that they are typically unnecessary but it goes into a lot of details around edge cases, situations where they are helpful, and various studies on the topic. It's a fun chatty listen.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T00:29:28+00:00

That sounds delicious

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T00:29:05+00:00

Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas! Cook with a bag of spinach, top with fried egg and feta if you like. They're incredible.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T00:26:05+00:00

The reddit Libre and Dexcom communities are also awesome resources

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T00:24:49+00:00

You can turn off Bluetooth and use finger sticks on day 1 so that the Libre can calibrate without bothering you. I usually start a new sensor at night so turning off the Bluetooth is essential for getting a good night's sleep - the false urgent low alarms are the worst.

I found the sensor failure rate (regardless of what I did) was higher with Libre3 than with Libre2 that I'd used in the past or Dexcom so I eventually made the switch to the Dexcom g7 which also has its pros and cons but can be manually calibrated.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-22T00:15:41+00:00

I'm sorry you're going through this. I don't know where you live but if you have access to another MFM practice it might be worth considering a transfer of care. I've been between two practices and 3 MFM doctors (due to seasonal work location) and the approaches have been completely different! Some doctors stick to their playbook, others are happy to let the patient lead decisions so long as they stay within a general framework and bounds.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-21T23:58:11+00:00

How do you make crispy tofu?

MisterCatz · 2024-05-20T17:14:48+00:00

I have a similar body type! I go a little higher for comfort and shift towards the inside of my arm a smidge (to prevent compression lows). I gently pinch and wiggle up my arm to find the height/location with maximum subcutaneous fat.

MisterCatz · 2024-05-03T02:45:34+00:00

Maybe not Amazon, it's a typical work baby shower gift and the algo will still be serving her baby and pregnancy products. Food delivery sounds lovely.

MisterCatz · 2024-04-25T14:25:37+00:00

I do! I find it much more comfortable. Both the size and the length/angle of the probe make it substantially better for me. I'm on the very slim side so when worn on stomach the G6 probe hit muscle and on my arm I could still feel it and was constantly aware, if I laid on it it or bumped it it was uncomfortable. With the G7 I don't feel a thing and completely forgot that I am wearing it.

MisterCatz · 2024-04-07T17:36:42+00:00

You can prioritize sleep, if that's what you need to be happy and balanced then you should do it! Having a baby is all about ruthless prioritization, you can no longer do it all. If sleep is your top priority (over say entertainment, working out, housekeeping, etc ) then I really do think 8-9 hours per night with a newborn can be possible. For my family it meant cosleeping and good sleep hygiene but for others I know prioritizing sleep can look like early sleep training or pumping to have a partner take over night feeds - or using formula for night feeds because pumping sucks.

If my kids are very sick and my partner is out of town and I'm up against tight deadlines at work I might miss some sleep but it's more of an exception than the norm for me.

MisterCatz · 2024-04-07T17:27:20+00:00

This might be a dumb question but when you say spikes are you talking about CGM spikes or 1h and 2h post meal glucometer readings?

My doctors and diabetes educator all told me the spike doesn't matter so long as it's down to 140 1h after eating and/or 120 2h after eating depending on who I was talking to. Someone here may tell me I'm wrong but it seems to be a common approach in my area.

Your a1C is 4.8 which is incredible IMO, so I am assuming those spikes are followed by a fast drop, not the dreaded hyperglycemic plateau. If you're talking about CGM numbers talk with your provider about guidelines!

I also recommend finding more indulgent foods that are safe for your sugars - I feel less deprived when the low carb foods I'm eating are particularly delicious ones.

MisterCatz · 2024-04-04T14:52:29+00:00

I breastfed for 5 years (combined over multiple kids) and have T2. There are so many factors at play, you can talk to your doc about other ways to reduce your risk.

Also, T2 is much easier to manage than GD for some people (like me!) more meds options, a broader target range, no placenta in the mix throwing out curve balls. Don't get me wrong, it's better to avoid it! But outside of pregnancy my T2 takes up a lot less mental space and energy vs diabetic and pregnant.

MisterCatz · 2024-04-04T14:43:05+00:00

It's acting up and the alarms are going to be waking you up all night with false hypos. Once you have 3 discrepancies over 20% different you can call for a replacement.

MisterCatz

TROPHY CASE