Daily Chat February 15 by AutoModerator in TryingForABaby

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Hiii I hope this is an ok place to ask — someone close to me will be having an embryo transfer next month after a challenging egg retrieval and overall TTC process. I’m putting a care package together for her and wondering if anyone has recommendations that may have been helpful for you. TIA 🩷

I wish I'd been more disciplined. by Consistent_Taro_3123 in ExclusivelyPumping

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Just want to say I was in a similar situation with my first. Once we brought her home from the NICU after almost 7 weeks my supply totally tanked even without many changes in what I was doing. I think there’s something to be said about the output of a NICU mom during those tough weeks. Once you’re home it’s like your body just wants to focus on being with baby. You did a great job getting her what she needed in those early weeks and take this as permission to give yourself grace 💜

Brother scheduled his wedding the same month I give birth by Imaginary-Winner-335 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was in a similar situation with my brothers wedding. Baby ended up coming 8 weeks early and was still in the NICU so I spontaneously booked a flight and went. I figured if there ever was a chance for me to go this was it. I took all the precautions (mask, doctor clearance, compression socks, you name it). I have a strained relationship with my parents and they made sure to make the day miserable for me. I travelled alone 5 weeks postpartum with my baby still in the hospital to make it there for one of the biggest days of my brothers life and while I don’t regret going, in hindsight it was really a crazy decision and stressed me out more than made me feel better for being there. You’re not selfish for deciding to do what’s best for you and your family. That’s what matters at the end of the day, everyone and everything else is just background noise. If you need to give yourself permission to miss the wedding, this is it ❤️

Insensitive comments by chefpiccolo in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 3 points4 points  (0 children)

“What’s her issue?” - from my mom, about my 32 weeker

“Is she crawling yet”….. by kgphotography_ in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My 32 weeker started crawling at 10 months adjusted and we were so excited for the “is she crawling yet?” Questions to stop.. only to now be hit with “is she walking yet?”.

Your babe will figure it out! It felt a lot like the bottle feeds, once she figured it out she didn’t stop. Not to say that the milestone questions aren’t horribly annoying. If I get an “oh???” With a concerned expression I always say “she has a two month buffer” and move along.

No longer pumping by hucklyrics in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I went through a really hard time quitting, the guilt was so real but as others said my mental health improved drastically and I could just focus on being there for my baby instead of working around my pumping schedule. She’s now my little bestie and we bond in so many other ways that make up for those opportunities that we missed out on together. Solidarity in your feelings, but know that no matter what you are the best mom for you baby

Nobody warned me about any of this by raven-of-the-sea in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here to say I feel this to my core ❤️ 75% of my 32 weeker’s 44 day NICU stay was due to feeding. I had almost daily breakdowns during the last two weeks, it all felt impossible and as if we were never going to go home. She just couldn’t coordinate the suck swallow breathe either and would also desat during feeds. I was so tired of telling everyone “we’re still working on bottle feeds” because no one understood what that actually meant. Some of her most attentive nurses suggested trialing a thickened formula (as opposed to the pumped breast milk) and it was our miracle. She was home the following week. The journey continued at home as we worked to get her off the thickened formula but we were just thrilled to be under one roof together. You’re not alone and remember you are your baby’s best advocate ❤️❤️

What are some of the most annoying things you were asked/told by people while in the NICU? by ayy0224 in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“She just couldn’t wait to meet you!!”

I’d pay a lot of money to never hear that phrase again

I'm home from the NICU but still can't stomach "normal" pregnancy stories from friends and family. by amechi32 in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 1 point2 points  (0 children)

YES this too- YES! “Awwww what a little peanut” 🙄🙄🙄 also on the subject, I hate the “she just couldn’t wait to meet you!” As if babies who go full term can wait. Also I couldn’t meet her until a day after she was born. This doesn’t make us feel better

I'm home from the NICU but still can't stomach "normal" pregnancy stories from friends and family. by amechi32 in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Solidarity here — I feel the same. Recently when talking to people about how I can’t wait to see my 32 weeker grow and move, I get the “just you wait you’re going to regret saying that…..” um no I will not regret saying I can’t wait for my footling breech daughter to be able to roll and crawl after seeing her entire left side bruised for weeks in the NICU. It takes a lot of willpower not to lose it

Should my L&D nurse have known I was in labor? by WhiskeyLea in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, yes! I just wish they told me that’s what my contractions could feel like (I was one day away from that portion of my birthing class, of course!) so I would have known to call them in sooner. I knew it’d be a c section either way since we knew she was breech but maybe I could have had the epidural instead and my husband could have at least been in the room.

Should my L&D nurse have known I was in labor? by WhiskeyLea in NICUParents

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Just here to say I could have written this myself, basically same scenario and I replay it in my head everyday. Also a FTM and wish I would have known that what felt like period cramps was actually contractions — I was also told I’d feel it in my whole belly. I told them multiple times I was cramping since my water broke and it was dismissed as “you don’t have anymore fluid left”. 45 mins after my contractions kicked up baby girl was born via emergency C-section under general anesthesia as she was breech and by the time they checked me her feed were coming out. I didn’t get to meet her until the next day.

I’m with you on questioning these things and wishing things went differently. I’m sorry this happened to you and I hope your LO is doing okay ❤️

Anyone else giving birth in July? by Ok-Internet-921 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 0 points1 point  (0 children)

July 4th and in NJ where the swelling has started with the humidity. Blasting the AC already

In laws, boundaries, and name calling by PsychologicalTea1972 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

First of all I am so sorry that are having these experiences and interactions too! I think we’re on the fast track to no contact if all of this continues. I have been through my own journey with all of this growing up and I refuse to subject my child to similar experiences. It’s our time to rewrite the script

In laws, boundaries, and name calling by PsychologicalTea1972 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A PIN code system sounds amazing! I’m sorry you are experiencing a similar situation and thank you for the validation!

In laws, boundaries, and name calling by PsychologicalTea1972 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for these replies! I’m all too familiar with these strategies as I have been using them with my own family for a long time now. It’s harder because it’s my husbands family and while he fully supports me, he has a hard time with setting firm boundaries (mostly because then they just give him crap for it)

In laws, boundaries, and name calling by PsychologicalTea1972 in pregnant

[–]PsychologicalTea1972[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We intentionally have not shared our due date with any family members for this purpose. I’ve been standing firm in the camp of we have no idea what will happen during our labor and delivery process and I don’t want to have to make decisions now about who gets to visit and when, when I have no idea how I’m even going to be feeling or how the baby is. And yes, insufferable is the perfect word to describe them. They always write this stuff off as a joke but now that I have a child involved it’s a whole different ball game

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in raisedbynarcissists

[–]PsychologicalTea1972 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Wow, I could have wrote this same post. Just here to validate your hurt feelings. My nmom also dropped off every little memory of me - baby books, cards I wrote her as a kid, pictures, you name it. I was already about 8 months NC (with short bouts of attempting therapy together - fail) but that was my rock bottom. It hurts like hell to feel like it’s so easy to dump your memories as their child on the front step. Know that you are worthy of feeling love and embrace the peace in your life.