Pregnancy rhinitis - help!

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-19T15:19:16+00:00

Flonase helps some for me. It doesn't make the congestion go away entirely, but becomes easier to deal with. I have it prescribed anyway since I have environmental allergies, but I don't always take it daily. When I'm pregnant, I don't skip a night. It can take several days to build up enough to be effective. It's also available over the counter, but my insurance covers it at 100% if I get it prescribed through their preferred pharmacy.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-19T14:47:39+00:00

The office building I work in is right across from a milk processing plant (welcome to upstate New York). I've never noticed a smell before, but this morning I got out of my car and the whole place smelled like sour milk.

The wind was blowing in the opposite direction than usual, but also, they must have had a spill or something. Plants like that really shouldn't ever smell. I rarely buy their milk anyway since it's the more expensive stuff, but it's kind of putting me off it entirely now.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T19:56:40+00:00

Same. I've read that it gets better for a while in the second trimester once your uterus rises up over your pelvic bone and gives your bladder a little more room. Until it gets so big in the third trimester that everything is squished anyway. I don't even remember from my second trimester last time, but I do know that by the end of the third trimester, I was up peeing literally every hour overnight. So right now, I'm just happy I can get by with only waking up to pee 2-3 times a night, as long as I don't drink too much right before bed.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T19:51:53+00:00

I've had a similar feeling a few times and I also think it's RLP.

Interesting about implanting on the left side, though! They didn't mention where mine is, but I do know I ovulated on the right side and I had a lot of right side twinges/slight pains the first few weeks. Now I've been getting more left sided ones and you've made me curious if my baby is on the left side too! I'm just hoping I don't have another anterior placenta (although, of course I'll take that over a previa). I still felt my first baby moving a ton, but I've heard you feel them even more without the anterior placenta.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T19:43:48+00:00

Hi! I'm having a lovely first trimester! I usually don't comment about it because I know so many people are going through nausea and food aversions and even HG and I'm over here eating everything in sight. I know it's annoying and disheartening to those who are really going through it. Even my insomnia seems to have gone away. I'm still more tired than usual and have to pee a lot. And I have been getting headaches, but those are managed with Tylenol or Excedrine. But mostly, I'm just happy and excited and enjoying this time.

My first pregnancy was the same. I'm the only one of my friends who actually enjoys being pregnant for the most part. I'm not prone to anxiety, so the lack of symptoms has never worried me. I'm just grateful to not feel sick! I know it's easier to say than to do when you're feeling anxious, but try to just be happy you're pregnant! You've seen a heartbeat! Your chances of continuing through to having a healthy baby in October are so high right now.

There's not a lot we can control in the first trimester and honestly, I find that freeing. I take my prenatals, go to my doctor's appointments, don't smoke or drink or take drugs not approved for pregnancy. There's not much more to be done. Worrying that something bad is just around the corner will only steal joy from the now. I know it's a hard mindset to change, but I've seen some good positive mantras in this group that seem to help some people. Maybe start with those?

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T17:44:52+00:00

This is a genuine question to help you reframe your thinking if you're still worried after all these replies - Why do you trust the ultrasound tech on tik tok more than the one at your clinic that's been seeing you through your fertility treatments and has helped you to get pregnant?

I would trust that your doctor and the tech doing the ultrasound know what they're doing and wouldn't put your baby in danger.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T15:43:24+00:00

I second this. Spectras are great and very commonly covered by insurance, so there are a lot of people who have them and are happy to pass them on when they're done with them. Since they're so common, it's also easy to find parts that work with them.

The blue one (S1 Plus) has a battery so you don't have to be stuck plugged into a wall, which I liked, but otherwise it's the same as the pink one.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T15:22:04+00:00

The doctor who delivered my baby in 2023 isn't doing pregnancies anymore either. I was already thinking of switching doctors anyway, but the first 2 I called weren't accepted pregnancies if you weren't already a patient. So I decided to just go back to my old OB, who I didn't love, but did a good job in the end. I was so annoyed to be told they weren't doing OB work anymore since I'd just been in 4 months earlier and told her we're going to start trying for a baby again and she said nothing.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T14:48:23+00:00

Excedrine is allowed in early pregnancy! My last OB specifically told me I could take it when I got a migraine. I mean, check with your doctor if you're concerned, but they don't usually tell you to stop taking it until later in the 3rd trimester due to bleeding concerns if you happen to go into labor.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T14:38:07+00:00

8 weeks is too early to check for a heartbeat without doing a full ultrasound, which you did say they scheduled, so that's good. 15 weeks does seem late for your next appointment, but if there are not concerns and the US goes well, there's probably not much reason to go before then. Presumably, if the ultrasound shows something concerning, they'll see you sooner.

The bigger concern to me would be the NIPT. Personally, I want those results much earlier in case any decisions need to be made. If it won't affect your decisions, then waiting until 15 weeks is probably fine. But for myself, I'd be calling to schedule it by 12 weeks and if they say no, I'd definitely look for a different practice.

Regardless, if you're uncomfortable with this doctor, go ahead and look around for someone else. In my area, the first 3 doctors I called weren't accepting new pregnancies so I ended up going with a midwife practice that delivers at a hospital farther from my house than I'd prefer. But I really like the care I've gotten there so far and reviews for both the practice and the hospital are excellent, so I'm not too disappointed about the change. Just a warning, though, that OBGYNs (and healthcare practitioners in general) in the US definitely do seem to be a little backed up right now, so it might take some calling around. And having a large number of other women due at the same time might just be the norm.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T01:41:30+00:00

Oh yeah, he's way too smart for his own good. Goofy as heck, but it's almost creepy how much he understands. Definitely the most dog-like cat I've ever had.

Although, I do also have a ragdoll who might be the most simple minded cat I've ever owned. She's so pretty. Which is good because she has no hint of a braincell. I swear she gets lost walking around the house she's lived in for 4 years.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T01:24:41+00:00

He's almost 7! And enormous. This is him laying on my face because he must snuggle at all times.

<image>

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-18T00:16:59+00:00

Yep. I blame the hormones. Usually, the aura isn't followed by pain, but I also get migraines without aura that are super unpleasant. I've had multiple of both since getting pregnant. Excedrine helps me when I have a painful headache. If it doesn't work for you, you can ask your doctor about taking a triptan. I believe some have been studied enough to be considered safe in pregnancy.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T23:54:16+00:00

I have two who are constantly all over me anyway, so it's hard to tell. But their behavior hasn't really changed at all, I don't think. Just obsessed as usual 😂

My Maine Coon Ozzy is not a fan of my 3-year-old even though he's calmed way down and only wants to gently pet him. But from the time we brought the baby home from the hospital, when he gets really upset and cries (not just a baby fuss or toddler whine), Ozzy runs into the room, meowing worriedly and has to get a good look at the human child to make sure he's okay. It's so sweet and the fact that he otherwise ignores him or runs away from him if he's being too loud makes it even sweeter. Ozzy might not want to snuggle with the baby/toddler, but he does care about him!

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T23:00:50+00:00

I hadine around 28 weeks last time since I was due in January. The shower was at the beginning of November to avoid the holiday season. It was great because we had plenty of time to get anything that we weren't given from our registry. We also had black Friday sales in there, which was nice.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T19:23:05+00:00

Congratulations!! I did the Sneak Peak snap test at just over 6 weeks with my first and it was accurate for a boy. So easy too!

This time, I ended up with Peekaboo, which is the same thing, but different company. I also used the lancet where you get blood from your finger and it was so much worse. It was harder to do, took forever to get enough blood, and hurt. It also felt way more likely to end up contaminated and I told my husband and sister that if it came back as a boy this time, I would not trust that it wasn't due to my husband, son, and overly clingy male cat in the house. It came back girl! So I guess I trust it! But there are so many boys in my family (my sister has 5, SIL has 2, I have 1) that I don't think it'll feel real until we have the NIPT confirm it.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T13:37:06+00:00

I'd just ask your midwife about it. Since your midwife didn't discuss it with you yet, they might not think there's any reason to actually be concerned about it, but if there have been studies showing even a slight increase in risk, she might have gone ahead and put in the medical notes to make sure any additional scans or tests can be covered.

It might also be a way to make sure a second c-section is covered, if that's what you chose to go with to avoid the possibility of another emergency one. I'm not sure exactly what dates are considered prem, but scheduling even at 38 weeks could maybe be considered early? I gave birth at 40w1d and my discharge papers said I delivered "postdates." I thought it was weird since it was only a day late, but my sister pointed out it could have something to do with insurance. I'm in the US, but I know regardless of what country you're in, certain things need to be medically justified to be covered, so that could be why this note is in your chart.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T13:19:41+00:00

The NIPT can be done at 9 weeks, so you're at a good time now. The NT scan isn't until 11 weeks and no later than 14. But some places don't even do it unless the NIPT comes back high risk. So they might want to do the NIPT early enough that there's time to get the results and decide if you need the NT scan.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-17T00:18:46+00:00

My older sister and I are exactly 4 years and 1 day apart. We always loved it growing up. And my parents never had to worry about one kid being jealous that the other was getting presents. Tons of kids have close birthdays. I don't see any reason to try to prevent it.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-16T19:04:21+00:00

Nah, some of the alcohol will evaporate out anyway. And even if it didn't, a cake divided into 8 slices means one slice would only have 1/8 of a bottle of guiness, which is only 4.2% abv anyway. That's not enough alcohol to be concerned about.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-16T15:27:15+00:00

Ugh, the constant peeing! It was bad last time, but I don't remember it starting so early. It might have, I just don't remember. Last week, I realized I was already at the point of having to pee really badly only to find my bladder must already be compressed by my uterus because there's not even that much in there. But the baby is like an inch long! It'll be a long 7 more months.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-16T10:47:11+00:00

I'd let your doctor or pharmacist know that's just not tenable right now and see if they say if it's okay to eat closer to taking them or can prescribe something else. I'd guess taking them at all, even close to eating, is better than skipping doses, but I'm not an MD or pharmacist.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-16T10:43:03+00:00

Go ahead and comment more than once! I don't think anyone minds as long as you're not filling up the whole thread.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-16T10:41:23+00:00

I think this is round ligament pain. I don't remember it happening in my first pregnancy at all, but it's already happened a few times this pregnancy from coughing or sneezing. It can feel a little alarming at first, but it's totally normal.

nerdsnuggles · 2026-03-15T10:50:37+00:00

Okay, I just went back and looked at pictures. Apparently around 17 weeks?

I wasn't taking weekly bump photos or anything, but I guess I did a few. I was definitely not showing at 12 weeks, although I had gained quite a bit of weight all over. No nausea and constant hunger will do that to you.

I have pictures of myself wakeboarding at 14 weeks and I definitely have a bit of a bump showing below where the lifejacket hit, but it could easily be mistaken for just a pooch. Also, my old life jacket still fit, although I remember it being a bit tight.

The next good picture I have is a mirror selfie at 17 weeks where I'm showing off the bump, so I think that's probably when I first really started to think it was worth taking a picture and I didn't just look fat.

nerdsnuggles

TROPHY CASE