A Little Help Please

[Rowena]

So we are going to at some point try having kids. But as I am still new to this diet I am a little lost... so yeah, if ya'll could clear a few things up that would be great.

Once pregnant, how long do you wait to tell people? (Esp after having a miscarry already)

Prenatal vitamins... what kind?

Drugs at the hospital?

Food at the hospital?

Toiletries?

Topicals?

Midwife or doctor?

More doctor visits or no?

Request more ultrasounds etc?

And all my other concerns that you have to read my mind to figure out... mostly because at the moment my mind is in way too many places at once.

I feel like I have to start a whole new diet in a way when pregnant. And I am just THINKING about it, and I doubt I am yet. But still it gives me a whole new round of anxiety

[kareng]

Stop! Take a Breath! A lot of this stuff will get answered by your OB/GYN. Tell her/him that you are trying to get pregnant & they will suggest some vitamins. You can check for gluten-free. The doc will probably want to check your nutrient levels like iron, B12 Calcium & D & thyroid. Start there. Good to get that straight before you try to get pregnant.

When you are pregnant, its up to you how soon you tell people. I always waited until 3 months but on one I had to tell my boss (a nurse & a trauma surgeon) because I was having some problems and had to leave for the doctor. My mom would have driven me crazy, so I didn't tell her until 3 months. Some people tell a close friend or mom and find it helpful. I think the more people you tell early, the more you have to tell if something goes wrong.

The food at the hospital: you can make arrangements with your hub. Maybe even leave you a little cooler in your room. You don't eat many meals at the hospital, so relax. When you are close to delivery, ask your doc what oral meds you might get & you can find out the brand from the hopsital pharmacy & check.

So calm down! You are getting way ahead of yourself & worrying yourself for no reason.

Just re-read this and that pic of the muppet Barkley makes you wonder about me...

[SGWhiskers]

So we are going to at some point try having kids. But as I am still new to this diet I am a little lost... so yeah, if ya'll could clear a few things up that would be great.

Once pregnant, how long do you wait to tell people? (Esp after having a miscarry already)

Prenatal vitamins... what kind?

Drugs at the hospital?

Food at the hospital?

Toiletries?

Topicals?

Midwife or doctor?

More doctor visits or no?

Request more ultrasounds etc?

And all my other concerns that you have to read my mind to figure out... mostly because at the moment my mind is in way too many places at once.

I feel like I have to start a whole new diet in a way when pregnant. And I am just THINKING about it, and I doubt I am yet. But still it gives me a whole new round of anxiety

So once you've been on the diet for a while and your body has had a chance to heal, there isn't much different about a celiac pregnancy than any other person's pregnancy. If you feel you will need support in the event of a miscarriage, then tell a few close people and make sure you let them know not to spread the good news yet. Your risk of miscarriage goes drops something like 90% once you hit the 13 week mark. That is often when people spread the news to the world.

Prenatals need to be gluten free. Bellybar chewables are gluten-free. I found them easier for my nauseous stomach to handle. You can also take a double dose of gluten-free pediatric vitamins which is equivilant to a full prenatal dose. Start your folic acid now and get your vitamin levels checked and balanced now.

Drugs at the hospital: I'll be posting my experiences as I learn more in the next 2 months and at delivery time. So far I'm learning most is administered through IV and thus will be gluten-free. I can take my ibuprofin and tylenol from home and those will already be checked. Get a list from your doc and call the pharmacist at the hospital just like any other med. For topicals, work with the nurses at your hospital in your last trimester.

The hospital will have a gluten free tray for you, but I wouldn't trust it with my body. I don't think they are ordered frequently for the staff to practice.

Midwife vs. Doctor: There is nothing special about celiac that makes you need an OB over a midwife. Learn about how each practice in your state. I was paranoid that celiac would make me high risk and I would need an OB and I also wanted access to an epidural if I felt I needed one. I went with an OB, but since learning more, I wish I would have opted for a midwife because I've learned they can order epidurals too and the 2-7 month doctors appointments have consisted of pee in a cup, feel my belly, and send me out the door. A midwife's approach for delivery is more my speed.

There is no more need for extra doctor's appointments if everything looks good. You and your doctor/midwife can decide about ultrasounds. They made me feel better, but I'm older and this was a surprise pregnancy after being told I needed an egg donor due to perimenopause. I think there are plenty of women who do not get any ultrasounds.

The diet your are on when pregnant should be the same as now. I did up my fruits, veggies, and iron. I also have really cut back on eating out to reduce my risk of cross contamination.

Yes, you are ahead of yourself, but when dreaming about a baby, it can be fun to try to think of all the ways she might change your life. Spend your time right now, getting your diet solid and your vitamins checked. Find an OB/midwife you trust and have fun practicing. Good luck when the time comes. Oh, do some online reasearch into home pregnancy tests. They trying to concieve forums are good. They tests can be purchased for next to nothing online or in dollar stores sometimes with the same accuracy rates depending on the brand. Once you start trying, the urge to test is irresistable and can get pretty expensive at $10/test.