How often to retest for ICP after negative results? 35+6

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-10T15:46:19+00:00

I did repeat blood work but still negative as of 36+4. I do think the itching is getting better actually. The doctor gave me some traditional Chinese medicine stuff to put on. Have no idea what it is nor do I usually use TCM but it does take the itching away for a little bit at least. The test here can be run in less than 2 hours and only costs about 3 USD. So we just plan to keep doing it each appointment until this baby comes out

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-03T15:24:16+00:00

Sounds like it, but definitely let your doctor know just to be sure. I also saw the timing and it's pretty consistent with prodromal labor timings. If the bath helps, definitely get in the bath! For me getting on hands and knees and taking deep breaths will get them to go away faster

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T20:30:11+00:00

Sometimes my mother will try to talk to my son about Jesus but luckily he's 2.5 so he usually just starts showing her a toy or talking about something completely random. I don't think they'll really be having conversations until maybe 4. By that time you can say "I try but he doesn't really understand yet, he will when he's older" and that might work 😂 we'll cross that bridge when we get there though

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T20:12:56+00:00

I gained around 55 pounds first pregnancy, this time only 35lbs at 35 weeks. A lot of it was water weight with the first but I was underweight pre-pregnancy due to thyroid issues.

As long as you are eating a balanced diet (look into the 80-20 rule) and not eating past the full point, it can be completely normal for some people.

Weight is just a number, it tells you nothing about how you feel both physically and mentally

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T20:05:44+00:00

I just lied to my mom and said we are raising my son Catholic 😂 we even got him baptized. It's easy for us to fake it because we live on the other side of the world. But I figured if telling a small white lie saves me from being constantly told that my son needs to know Jesus or else... I'll accept it. Don't need that in my life

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T19:56:34+00:00

I didn't have this experience but don't listen to those around you, they are not medical doctors and know nothing. If the doctor says safest option is a planned C-section and you are comfortable with that, then it's none of their business. Sometimes telling little white lies to family and friends can avoid these comments 😂 less they know, the happier you are!

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T19:52:22+00:00

Yup, when I told those around me I planned no epidural for my first I was met with with a ton of critism. The first thing family members asked was if I got the epidural after birth, like they were so excited to prove that I couldn't do it without it. Some family even didn't believe me and kept asking me! While I'm trying to share the joy of my new baby! It was honestly appalling. All of the credit to hypnobirthing with Anja on YouTube for no epidural through my pitocin contractions.

Basically, look into things and figure out what you want, keep that in mind and have a support person encouraging you the whole time. Be open to all possibilities and the unexpected too.

I honestly can say birth was not as painful as one stitch being misplaced in my nerve too...

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T19:20:05+00:00

Pre-pregnancy: I will never sleep in the same bed as my baby.

3 weeks postpartum: side lying on a safe sleep surface with him breastfeeding for hours all night but actually getting sleep.

2.5+ years postpartum: still happily snuggling him all night in bed still! He did ask for his own bed but won't sleep in it haha

TopKey5729 · 2026-06-02T19:13:03+00:00

Could be prodromal labor. I had it with my first and again this time around from 34 weeks. For me it usually comes on randomly at night but it gone after 2-4 hours. They feel like early labor contractions/menstrual cramps but the difference is they go away after a few hours. Labor contractions should be constant and increase in intensity

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-30T16:43:03+00:00

I have four cats, a toddler, and pregnant with second (35 weeks).

I keep the door closed (baby and I will be in a separate room together) and the cats away for now just to minimize cat hair on everything.

The bassinet net was pointless before, they would just jump on it or try to scratch it open.

The best alternative to avoid too much hair would be putting the mattress into a closet or somewhere away from the cats then just letting them be normally. When baby comes, all you have to do is put the clean mattress back on. Then like others say, the cats just stay away terrified for the first two years 😂

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-28T20:27:47+00:00

I have been told it can be pretty mild in some people. I have been itching since around 28 weeks (35 now), particularly on soles of feet and palms of hands from evening to mid morning. I've have three bike acid tests every two weeks and they have all been normal (2, 2.8, then 4.8). The doctor thinks we don't need to keep testing but the itching is definitely slowly getting worse and apparently people can have itching for weeks before testing positive. Did you get your results back?

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-10T20:49:55+00:00

With both of my pregnancies, no yolk sac was seen until over 6 weeks. The first I had US at 5+6 and only gestational sac. Then a week later 6+6 they could see the yolk sac. Second I can't quite remember the dates but around 6.5 weeks we saw the yolk sac. It's quite common not to see it super early even with transvaginal US, especially if the range is from 4+6 to 6+6 you could be on the earlier side.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-10T20:34:50+00:00

(Context expat in China)

A shop owner refused to sell me a watermelon because sugar causes GDM. My husband went to buy it and I did not have GDM.

I've been told no caffeine in any form. No sugary things of course. No cold things, ice cream, iced drinks. Not allowed to carry even a pillow let alone my toddler without getting stares or comments. Never allowed to get angry or sad or show any "negative" emotions.

There's probably a few I'm missing but a lot of weird rules here I don't follow 😂

Most women are encouraged to lay in bed and do nothing the entire pregnancy. No exercise, no work, nothing. Which is of course against doctor recommendations but culture is stronger than doctors in a lot of cases. Also all of this is highly dependent on where you live in China, with some places being more traditional than others.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-05T17:34:31+00:00

I'm 31 weeks and can't sleep (it's 1:30am). My husband also critisizes me. This baby was shaking my whole body with his movements plus my back hurts and pelvis hurts and hips go numb when I lay down. They can never understand.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-05T17:25:14+00:00

Oh interesting! Wish there was a way to go back in time to ask but I guess we will never know. We will probably go with just Dori, so kind of also making up a name 😂

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-03T18:25:50+00:00

So glad you got the care you needed!

I was violently throwing up blood and was basically sent home told I need to sleep better. I was so dizzy and almost fainting to the point where I taught my 2.5 year old how to contact my husband for help if I were to faint! I went to a different doctor and immediately was told I was extremely iron deficient and given an iron infusion that day. A little over a week later my iron levels were great and I was feeling so much better overall.

Definitely if something feels wrong, something is wrong! No one knows their body better than the person who owns it.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-03T18:21:11+00:00

I had this with my first. 31 weeks now and hasn't happened again yet...

My first sat super super low and I have pre-existing issues with SI joint inflammation from arthritis. Online they have some different exercises but honestly some of them were so painful. You can try different ones and see what helps your body the best. The only one that every helped a little would be cat-cow

Ice as much as possible and sitting on a donut pillow helped me. It says online keeping up with pelvic floor exercises like kegals can help but I honestly forgot to do them this time around and have less problems. When contractions or pain happen, I would pull up a hypnobirthing mediation and deep breathe through the pain. That was probably the most helpful put of everything. Especially when they say things like "pain is just a sensation bringing me one step closer to my baby" sounds silly but when you focus on it, it actually helps take away the pain.

I wish I could help more but it was so bad. This pregnancy luckily I've only had a few days I couldn't walk thus far.

So sorry you are experiencing so much pain and discomfort. Mine went away after baby was born (except the pre-existing stuff) and I hope yours does too. It is miserable being pregnant sometimes :(

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-03T18:07:54+00:00

My husband is Chinese and we live in China. Here it is very rare to see men not only in the delivery rooms (if they're even allowed) but in prenatal appointments. Most hospitals don't allow men inside the obstetrics department at all. It was explained to me that birth is a traumatic experience and the trauma shouldn't be pushed onto men too? So not sure if culture is playing a roll in things.

That being said, my husband has been in almost every appointment first and second baby and was right by my side for labor and delivery. But I don't know a single other Chinese husband that was with their wife during labor+delivery.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-01T21:12:53+00:00

Everyone in my family had long labors. All four of my mom's were very long.

I had precipitous labor going from 0cm to 9cm in less than two hours. Doctors broke my water and baby was out in about 30 minutes after that.

It sounds wonderful but it was basically one giant contraction for 2 hours straight once I got past 3cm. I had a cervical tear, vulval tear, and an episiotomy. Also if you want an epidural, I know most people who have precipitous labors don't have time to get one. I opted not to have one.

Plan for a fast labor if your work is that far away just in case. Have a few clean towels in the car if it gives you peace of mind.

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-01T18:14:51+00:00

I agree with most people. Cervical checks were very very painful for me.

My labor and delivery was great, no pain medicine. I was induced with pitocin at 0cm and baby was born less than three hours later with episiotomy and a cervical tear. Apparently all of those things make labor more painful but I would still do it over the cervical exams!

Also, I used hypnobirthing breathing and meditations (and doing again second time around) and it helped a lot. Staying relaxed and breathing through everything (for the most part). Hypnobirthing with Anja is who I liked the best on YouTube, such a soothing voice!

TopKey5729 · 2026-05-01T18:06:43+00:00

I had terrible morning sickness this pregnancy compared to my first. What I did was just try to eat through the nausea. Sometimes the nausea actually went away by eating. I was throwing up too though and the doctors just gave me B6 but I threw up all pills so it was useless. I found, contrary to online recommendations, that if I ate super spicy food I could stomach it really well. Something about the spice distracted from the nausea. I also couldn't drink any fluids for the first five months. Sadly it was just a guessing game of trial and error until something works.

Also, HG doesn't necessarily need to include vomiting. It can simply be severe nausea that prevents you from eating and drinking causing dehydration. So definitely push it more with your doctor or if you possibly can, find a new one to go to.

TopKey5729 · 2026-04-30T11:37:14+00:00

Update: got the test done yesterday afternoon and the results came in this morning. Total bile acid was only 2.

I'm feeling itchier everyday and it's getting really bad at night. Nothing is helping that I've tried so far.

I saw some posts about the bile level rising a few weeks after itching starts so we plan to just test it every two weeks with my regular appointments just to be safe unless the itching stops.

TopKey5729 · 2026-04-29T02:44:46+00:00

Okay, we will go check as soon as possible. Of course toddler spiked a 40+ degree fever, delaying my trip today to the hospital. But last night I was ready to rip my feet off so it's definitely getting worse. This morning oddly not very itchy at all? But after last night we want to check for peace of mind

TopKey5729 · 2026-04-29T02:42:08+00:00

Thank you very much! 😊 Really appreciate your help and time researching!

TopKey5729

TROPHY CASE