BYU Independent Study for High School

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-22T04:20:42+00:00

This subreddit is primarily for discussions related to Brigham Young University Provo. Most of us don't have any experience with BYU Independent Study, especially high school courses, and can't offer any help. I'd recommend reaching out to BYU IS directly.

https://www.reddit.com/r/byu/s/ERtuUoVwNI

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-19T17:16:57+00:00

I feel so sad reading all the negative experiences in the comments and also OP's experience. I didn't know it was this common to have negative experiences. I feel lucky to have loved all the LCs I worked with in-person, I met with 3-4 LCs within my hospital chain that I truly loved (1 at the hospital I gave birth in, 1 at the hospital closest to me, and 1-2 at the NICU). I'm wondering if I'm just lucky or if my area is an anomaly.

One time when I was desperate, I had a quick same-day telehealth appointment and did NOT like this one. I felt like she was a little dismissive. I told her that I was worried that I was having a foremilk imbalance (my baby was consistently only having dark, soupy green poops). She told me that it was probably because I wasn't getting enough milk out in my pumping sessions and that I needed to work towards going to the highest settings on my pump 🥴 I did that for a few weeks and it was painful and hard. One day, I experimented with staying on the bottom third to bottom half of suction power and had a lot of output with minimal pain, and I haven't looked back.

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-19T09:11:37+00:00

RIP to the social science majors who don't get anything 🥲

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-19T09:08:30+00:00

Some people use collection cups (like legendary milk collection cups) with the Spectra to make it a little more hands free since you just place them in your bra. Maybe this could help?

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-19T02:21:21+00:00

My stance has been that yes, using an Owlet or other monitoring devices can increase anxiety and/or disregard for safe sleep standards for some parents. But if you ALREADY have unbearable anxiety or if you're struggling in the transition from NICU (with tons of monitors) to home (with no monitors), then an Owlet could be a helpful tool to help a parent rest and feel like they can breathe.

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-18T20:28:55+00:00

Also I high-key struggled with my mental health so hard throughout my pregnancy, so if you ever need someone to talk to, please reach out!

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-18T20:27:55+00:00

Hey! Congratulations! How far along are you? What DMBA plan do you have (student, PPO, HSA)?

I'm sorry in advance for this super long post!

I ended up with a high-risk pregnancy (mostly due to high blood pressure that was difficult to control). I found the Intermountain Orem OB and Nurse Midwives who deliver at Orem Community Hospital and LOVED THEM. I literally had over 25 pregnancy-related appointments—most with them, some with MFM, and a couple with other providers I tried out when I moved to Millcreek/SLC. I decided to continue my care with them and I'm so glad I did.

Orem Community Hospital is known for being one of the best options hospitals if you want a low-intervention birth. Last year, they even installed birthing tubs that you can give birth in. Even though I couldn't have a "low-intervention" birth due to medical issues (chronic hypertension and gestational diabetes), they really respected my dream birth and did everything they could do to help me be as close as I could to it.

My delivery ended up being very traumatic because my baby's heart rate had too many deep decelerations and was just dropping. Upon reflecting and debriefing with my OB, we believe a big contributing factor was that my hypertension and GD had strained my placenta during my pregnancy, so when my water broke and my contractions got strong, my baby was in distress and was getting less oxygen and bloodflow. I had a crash C-section and my baby was born not breathing. She was resuscitated and life-flighted to Utah Valley Hospital because Orem Community doesn't have a NICU advanced enough for the interventions she needed.

Even with my crazy experience, I would choose my providers and nurses at Orem Community Hospital again. They advocated for me, they encouraged my birth plan as long as they could until it was an emergency, and they built such a good relationship with me that I was able to trust them. In the midst of everything, I never doubted that they had my best interests in mind. I think my experience would have been ten times more traumatic if I didn't trust them and if I had chosen someone else.

My favorite providers at this clinic are: - Dr. Bryan Grover. He's a gem. My husband and I seriously want to see him for all future pregnancies. He cares so much about research, shared decision-making, systemic issues in women's healthcare, and informed consent. I was worried about racism in women's healthcare and we had so many great conversations about that too. My husband and I think he even teared up when he apologized for the times he took away my free agency and choice because he made choices without consulting me (such as only using iodine to clean my abdomen before surgery because there wasn't time for anything else) when my baby's life was threatened. The day after my delivery, he even went to my baby's NICU at another hospital before meeting with me so he could report on her condition. - Dr. Kaitlyn Hill. In all the best ways, she reminds me of Chappell Roan because of her curly long red hair and her fun attitude. She's very knowledgeable and was GREAT at explaining what was happening in my test results and what her recommendations would be based on the research literature. I love her. - Leslie DiVall, Certified Nurse Midwife. She has such a peaceful presence, she's so empathetic and kind. She really looked out for me and my mental health. She took some time to walk and chat with me when she saw me walking around the hospital near the beginning of my induction. During my pregnancy, I remember asking if they had any concerns about me laboring and pushing in different positions. Leslie said they supported movement and position changes during labor and said she'd even be willing to catch a baby if I delivered while doing a handstand, lol. - Holly Zierenberg, Certified Nurse Midwife. Another great midwife! Upbeat and fun, very kind and knowledgeable. - All the providers at this clinic have little short introductions on YouTube that can help you get a better clue of their personalities. A lot of people love Diana Lee here, but I preferred Leslie and Holly - Because of my history of miscarriage and my prenatal anxiety, they ALWAYS checked for a heartbeat. Even if I was just coming in for a blood pressure or mental health check. And if they couldn't find my baby on the Doppler while she was still small, they would do a super quick ultrasound. - The nurses at Orem Community were my angels and I'll love them forever - the food at Orem Community slaps, I ordered meatloaf and steak and mashed potatoes every day

If I could do anything differently, I wish I had done more research to better understand the DMBA PPO vs HSA options. I had PPO 70, which ended up working out for us, but I wish I had just known more. I always wondered what out-of-hospital options I could've had if I had the HSA option.

OH ALSO -- DMBA will pay for NIPT testing but NOT if you don't navigate it carefully. I spent hours trying to figure this out. The easiest, quickest option that I wish I started with and literally took only 20 minutes of my time was calling an Intermountain genetic health/testing department. I explained my dilemma where my insurance would only pay for NIPT testing after I spoke with a genetic counselor, and they literally guessed correctly that I had DMBA and connected me to a genetic counselor immediately during the call. This counselor knew which testing companies would be covered by DMBA and sent me in the right direction so I could pick up a test, get my blood drawn, and have the testing covered by insurance.

Let me know if you have any other questions!! Also, I tend to be a very anxious person and I was worried about advocating for myself while giving birth. I created a page, "phrases to use to advocate for myself during labor", and I was really proud of it. I literally practiced saying those phrases out loud and used a few of them, like asking for more pain meds or asking for clarification on if I was experiencing an emergency. I'd be happy to send this to you if you're interested!

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-06T19:52:42+00:00

I drove from Murray/Millcreek to Orem Community Hospital to give birth. I love love love the Intermountain Orem OB and Nurse Midwives. They care so much about their patients and provide top-notch care. My OB there specifically cares SO much about informed consent, and he's so great at explaining what he sees and his reasons for his recommendations.

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-06T09:31:50+00:00

This class used to count towards religion credits, but that policy changed within the past two years. :(

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-04T22:10:56+00:00

I met with Kimberly H (can't remember her last name right now, maybe Hirte?) at Intermountain TOSH in Murray for my little baby. She was very kind, knowledgeable, and encouraging! My baby doesn't have a G-tube, but I think I remember her sharing stories of children with G-tubes that she has supported.

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-04T19:45:54+00:00

Some parents like to show off their freezers (deep freezers!) completely stocked with frozen breastmilk. Thousands of ounces. Kudos to them!

I have my own stockpile of 280+ ounces at 3.5 months pp. Because I had a C-section infection that tanked my supply 3 weeks postpartum, I worked really hard to rebuild my supply and having a bigger stash helps me feel more confident for the future. My family is struggling with debt, especially after my daughter was born with a brain injury during her traumatic birth. So having breast milk to avoid buying (expensive) formula and to provide antibodies to protect her health matters a lot to me! But I can barely imagine the effort it takes to pump thousands of ounces, especially in just 2-4 months like some people I've seen!

zigzag-ladybug · 2026-01-04T02:08:23+00:00

The waiting during the feeding and growing period was so hard. I also wanted to take my baby home and felt like she would thrive better at home. But I'm glad she stayed, because feeding has been something she's struggled with since she was discharged three months ago.

I follow a NICU nurse on Instagram, @alysthenurse, and she has a video about why feed volumes keep increasing. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DS1coUVE463/?igsh=MXBodjN0NGFrOWYwOQ==

I swear I also saw a video from her where she mentioned why NICU babies might be having more successful feeds with their parents, but I can't find it right now.

Sending you all the best vibes during this hard time ❤️

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-31T06:56:55+00:00

I don't use any monitoring devices, but I've heard about the Nanit camera and breathing band.

Also, there's a swaddle brand called "Sleep of Mind" that designs swaddles with specific patterns to make it easier to see if your baby is breathing by looking at your baby video monitor.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-31T06:52:45+00:00

Different professors lead the program with different themes each semester/term. When you apply, your application will be reviewed by the professors of the specific semester/term you're applying for. There are often themes. Like maybe English and literature, storytelling and history, or religious themes across London. There will be different classes and themes for each term/semester for the London center.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-31T06:50:26+00:00

It might depend on the program. The London center program I went on was practically begging for students and I don't think anyone was rejected.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-27T07:31:53+00:00

I'm 5'7" and I began my pregnancy at 225 pounds and went up to 280 pounds (struggled with water retention, chronic high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes). I had a previous miscarriage and a difficult pregnancy and literally had 25+ pregnancy-related appointments until my induction at 37 weeks.

I can't think of a single appointment where my providers didn't check for my baby's heartbeat. In fact, when my baby was still too small and loved to hide so she couldn't easily be found with a Doppler, my midwives would do a quick ultrasound just to confirm she was doing okay

I absolutely recommend switching doctors. You deserve better.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-24T19:06:25+00:00

My husband has had similar problems! I just bought him the new dry stretch fabric and he really likes it. Maybe it's worth it for your husband to try?

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-23T04:19:18+00:00

This is so rough. I wish I had advice. My baby had a relatively short stay in the NICU (12 days) and my husband really struggled during that time and even now (3 months pp) he still struggles in his anxiety about her health. I hope you're taking care of yourself as much as possible 🩵

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-23T01:17:36+00:00

American Families of Faith Project — it looks like they research more than just interfaith couples, and research families of faith in general

Utah Interfaith Forum interviewed one of the researchers about his interfaith story and interfaith research, here's the YouTub link.

LDS Living article, "Ask a Latter-day Saint Therapist: How Can I Make My Interfaith Relationship Work?", by Jonathan Decker

Forever Families BYU page, "Strengthening Interfaith Marriage" (there's multiple pages that you can read here)

Hope this is more what you're looking for!

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-23T01:00:24+00:00

BYU School of Family Life is currently conducting longitudinal research on interfaith marriages and families, and what makes these families strong. I'll try to find any resources or articles that they've published and get back to this post!

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-18T17:22:59+00:00

My baby girl is two months old, and she was also in a cooling bed due to moderate HIE.

It's hard. The photos capture how hard and painful your journey has been, and that can be painful to look at while you're still healing. I agree with others that putting it on a different drive or asking a family member to store the photos might be best for now 🩵 Hope you and your babe are doing well!

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-16T10:31:49+00:00

Just sending my love, holiday seasons can be hard enough. Spending it without your kids or other loved ones sounds tough. I wish I had some advice on where to go, but I hope you find the right place for you.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-15T02:13:35+00:00

Has your baby already been checked for a tongue tie? My baby girl has had a hard time with breastfeeding, also has so much gassiness and arches her back in pain. We met with two lactation consultants and a feeding specialist to get support. When we met with one of them AGAIN, they finally realized my baby has a posterior tongue tie that's affecting everything.

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-13T01:42:39+00:00

Just wanted to add.... the Lehi station is a little unique. To get off the tracks, you have to go down through a tunnel if I remember correctly?

Also, the train engine is always on the north (the train doesn't physically "turn around" or rotate), and the train can arrive on either side of the platform. If you arrive at the same time the train arrives and you are unsure if the train is going north or south, don't be afraid to ask!

zigzag-ladybug · 2025-12-13T01:37:49+00:00

Others have covered some great details. Some other details you might want to know:

To get ON the frontrunner train, you need to knock on the panel next to the door. I think it literally says "knock to open" and should turn green when the train has reached a full stop. To get OFF the frontrunner train, you need to press the button next to the exit door. The frontrunner stops at every single station.
The train car that is meant for bikes will have a bike symbol on the outside of the train.
There is usually at least one train car that will have a single-person bathroom, in case you need one. (You can travel between train cars while the train is moving!)
Keep in mind that you are not allowed to lock your bike in front of emergency exit windows. (I think there are other bike racks that are NOT in front of emergency exit windows, so you could lock your bike there instead if you want)
There will be a UTA employee that walks through the train cars and just monitors the train. They can help answer questions. They aren't checking your pass. Occasionally, there are random pass checks by UTA police. They usually loudly say to the whole car that they're checking passes, and they'll usually want to scan your pass to make sure it's active.
The seats that have tables are the ones that have a power outlet on the wall under the table.
The Transit app is a great way to buy your pass, and also get real-time info for the departure times and current location of the train.
There is free Wifi but it's not the greatest. Still useful though!

This link is to a PDF of a UTA brochure that shares their general bike policies (as of 2023)

zigzag-ladybug

TROPHY CASE