Uh-Uh-Ah.
Uh-Uh-Ah.
Uh-Uh_Ah.
I couldn't go back to sleep.
So I'm here on my couch, in my robe, with the cats looking at me with sleepy eyes, probably wondering what I'm doing. I have no idea. I want to go back to sleep, but I know I'll just toss and turn and K has to work today, so I don't want to keep him awake. I can nap later, if the urge hits me.
Did you know your nose can actually grow during pregnancy?
I mentioned the fact that my nose looked bigger when I took a picture of myself one morning. It's in a previous post. Well, that day, I got curious about it and low and behold, I found information about nose growth during pregnancy! Ha! It's caused by swelling, just like other areas of the body. It makes sense...where there is tissue, there can be swelling.
If you care to read up on it. Here's an article entitled, Strange but true: Pregnancy side effects from pennlive.com.
Here's another little discussion between a would-be client and plastic surgeons regarding a "bulbous nose." Her's was still larger after a year and a half! I really hope this doesn't happen to me. I really think mine is from swelling. I feel congested all the time...and just swollen, especially in the tip of my nose. It sucks.
Here's another piece about pregnancy myths. It includes discussion of the swelling nose. Apparently such swelling is linked to baby gender in wives' tales. Pregnancy Myths
Well, I'm carrying a girl and never had this happen with my boys...so my situation would "make" the wives' tale true, even though it really isn't. What really sucks about it is when I lay down, I feel like I can't breathe because I'm used to breathing through my nose. I really don't prefer to breathe through my mouth.
Speaking of wives' tales. I find it hilarious that typical, logical women fall for these during pregnancy. I have seen on the Babycenter forum where women will swear up and down that sex caused them to go in labor. That eating spicy foods resulted in their child being born that night...that who knows...choose something ridiculous and happen to go in labor and that'll be the next "It Worked!" headline on the forum.
No one ever chalks things up to coincidence and the fact that their bodies were ready for labor and they happened to do whatever it was they did to "bring labor on." Then they tell other women this crap and the other, gullible women try it. It's craziness.
Sure, I'm sick of being pregnant. I'd love for this prodromal stuff to end so I can either relax for the remaining time or just go into labor, but I KNOW none of the wives' tales work.
The only reason I'd eat eggplant parmesan is because I love it. The only reason I want to have sex with my husband is because I love him and I love doing it. The only reason I'd take a walk is because I need to and it makes my pelvis feel better (sometimes).
It's silly to put your faith and energy into wives' tales and some of them are downright dangerous.
CASTOR OIL
Point 1: Castor Oil. I think it's ridiculous and irresponsible for pregnant women to use this to "induce" labor, under the guise of "It's my body and my baby, I can do what I want..." a statement that can ONLY be used while pregnant, by the way. Once the baby is born, mothers can go to jail for such child endangering methods/actions.
Why am I so against castor oil?
It's a stimulant laxative that happens to be natural...as if because something is natural, it's automatically safe. NOPE. Cases in point: Foxglove (aka Digitalis). This is a beautiful flower that many people grow in their garden. It is also poisonous and it is used to make heart medications. Belladonna: It can be used as a sedative to help one relax, but it will kill people in certain doses.
Natural does not equate safe. Anyone with any common garden sense knows this. I believe in herbalism, but I also believe in being responsible!
Castor Oil Affects Mom
As a stimulant laxative, it most often causes gastrointestinal upset in the mother, resulting in diarrhea (sometimes explosive, depending on the amount and the mother's personal reaction), nausea and vomiting, cold sweats, very hard uterine contractions, and general malaise.
What happens to the mother, to me, is irrelevant. She took it. She can suffer what comes her way. My concern and what pisses me off is what can happen to the baby inside her. Does she consider this when she decides at say....36 weeks (seriously, there was a mother at 36 weeks trying castor oil to induce her labor! How pathetic! This is child endangerment and this is why...) and she's "uncomfortable and so excited to see her baby." No, she's not thinking about that baby at all. As a matter of fact, I'd go as far as to say she doesn't CARE. She probably hasn't even researched the effects of using castor oil...she just sees other posts that ignorantly claim, "Castor oil worked," and decided she wanted to try it as well.
Here's a post from today: http://community.babycenter.com/post/a36259483/help_...castor_oil?cpg=1&csi=2394711513&pd=1
From user: Jazlyn15:
Ok so I have castor oil I'm 37 weeks n 2 days I am having really bad back pain and a Lil bleeding does anybody know how much to take ??
Sure, it could be that this particular Jazlyn IS 15. I know...sure, it could be her first baby, but if that's the case, then this "mother" needs to be educating herself before she harms her child. This stuff pisses me off so bad I can't stand it. Am I being a bitch about it? Yes! Someone has to stand up for babies.
This was my response:
Oh for heaven's sake!
You're not even due yet! This is ONLY recommended for people who are OVERDUE and under the guidance of a doctor!
Damn...I'm so sick of seeing this shit and then hearing a mother say, "it's my body and my baby, I can do what I want."
That statement only applies while pregnant...once the baby is born, child endangerment is child endangerment.
At 37 weeks, you could actually only be 35 weeks or you culd be 39 weeks. An EDD is only an estimate. It's a GUESS. Seriously...your baby's lungs aren't even fully developed yet. They are still producing suffocant to help him/her breathe on his/her own at birth.
Gosh, this crap pisses me off to no end.
I sear, if someone on here said she went skydiving and it "worked" to help her go in labor labor, other women would follow suit so they could go in labor too.
Castor Oil Affects Baby
Just like for the mother, it acts as a laxative. It crosses the placenta and can cause the baby to have a bowel movement in the womb. Maybe to the idiotic mothers out there who try it, this is no big deal, but I'd love to encase them in a bubble of water that they are practicing breathing in, and have them eliminate the tar-like meconium their babies will be eliminating and ask them to continue to inhale the water around them until I decide they are ready to "be born."
I bet those same idiots change their minds really quickly then.
Hell, I bet they wouldn't even need such a drastic situation. I could say they'd have to eliminate regular feces in their beds and stay THERE until such and such date and most would change their minds.
If a baby has a bowel movement in the womb, the result can be difficulty breathing after birth, pneumonia, and sometimes even long-term respiratory problems. What kind of "mother" and I use that term loosely here, would risk that for her baby?
Don't believe me?
Read up. Spread the word. Follow links for information and citations.
Castor Oil and Meconium
Castor Oil to Induce Labor: from a certified midwife
Castor oil for induction of labour: not helpful; not harmful: from a journal of medicine
Meconium during labour: from the same journal of medicine that claimed "not helpful; not harmful" above.
Meconium Aspiration:
What is it?
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome: Medicine Plus Medical Encyclopedia
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome 2: Medicine Plus Medical Encyclopedia
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome 3: from Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Stanford
If someone dared try to say, "but it can happen anyway," I should like to punch her in the face. That's like saying, "a car crash could happen at any time, so drinking while driving isn't that big of a deal."
To me, trying to justify the use of castor oil to alleviate discomfort, especially for a woman who is not even to term in her pregnancy, is the same as trying to justify drinking and driving.
Castor oil should be seen as a powerful medication and should NEVER be used without the guidance of a medical professional.
If that isn't enough to convince you...maybe this piece from The March of Dimes will.
Why at least 39 weeks is best for baby
***Of course, (and I feel silly having to emphasize this, but I will for those who are quick to jump to conclusions) this has NOTHING to do with those who happen to go into premature labor or are carrying twins and have to be induced early...or those who face medical issues and must be induced early***
That's my opinion...take it or leave it.
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