Does Dr Push on Your Stomach After Delivery? What Do You Think of These Products

Someone bought us the teepees as a shower gift, and I have never used them. Maybe some boys wee on the changing table, but mine hasn't yet and he is 11 months old! Congrats on you baby boy, you are in for a treat!

I dont remember much from delivery so I dont remember about the doctor pushing on my stomach.

I loved the Snugglie. My daughter lived in hers. You could adjust it to distribute the weight of the baby ( granted my little girl was a light weight) We used it all three stages and she seemed to like it.

With my 1st I had Baby Bjorn, with my 2nd & 3rd I had the Sling now I have the Moby Wrap. Moby Wrap is my absolute favorite!

My baby was born Dec 23 last year - that's cool you'll have a Christmas baby too. No, pushing on your stomach is not necessary. Breastfeeding just after birth helps contract the uterus. (Even the baby just nuzzling helps.) Maybe one reason this is common is because the drugs used in labor slow down the body's reflexes. If you do have issues with hemorrhaging, then pushing on it or Pitocin would be appropriate. Let's see...your other questions - no, I haven't tried those products. As for baby carriers, I've tried a mei tei and a wrap. Like someone else said, La Leche is a great place to try on and learn how to use different styles. They have a little learning curve. I made my own mei tei by copying one from La Leche, and I bought a used Wrap n' Wear wrap.

I have a Bjorn, the one you pay extra for with the extra lower back support ($120), but it still hurt my back and I couldn't nurse in it. I tried an Ergo at my La Leche League meeting, and LOVED it. I bought it immediately, and have worn my son in it EVERYWHERE! I still LOVE it. You can wear it front, for close contact and easy nursing, hip, or back. He's now 25+ pounds, and I've used it twice in the past couple of days - once at the mall when he got tired - he actually fell asleep and napped on my back, and once when he wanted to run, but we were near a construction area on our house. I put him in on my back, and he's content. He's always been content. Oh, and no back problems with it because his weight is actually on my hips rather than my shoulders. You can get them at www.myfavoritebabycarrier.com, or at www.ERGObaby.com. My friends love their Ergos, too. I could go on and on. Their carrier is about $90, I believe, and you can get an infant insert to use before they have head control for another $25, so the other thing is, is that you pay as much as you do for a Bjorn, but you can use the Ergo to 40+ pounds. Bjorns are only good until 22 pounds, I believe, but by the time my son was 16 pounds at 3 months, my back couldn't take it any more, as I could only have him on the front in the Bjorn. Both my sisters have used the Ergo with infant insert (they didn't have the inserts until this year), and they appreciated that the Ergo grew with their babies, from day one, to now 12 months and 8 months old. My son is now 24 months, and I still use it when needed. It's awesome in the airport when you want your hands free to go through security. I told you I could go on and on.

A good place to experiment and learn about different carriers is to attend a La Leche League meeting. The moms there love to share what works for them, and they will have all the variety of slings and carriers you read about in the responses. Go to www.llli.org, look under resources, find a local leader/group, give your location, and find a meeting near you. Pregnant mamas show up all the time, and it is greatly encouraged. You would also get some good breastfeeding information if you want that, too. Good luck and enjoy your new baby boy!!!

H.

Yes Yes Yes! I will never forget this. I had a c-section and the pushing on the stomach was very painful for me. I was screaming & crying begging the nurse to stop. I was hitting her hand away from me. I still wonder why I was in this much pain with a spinal block.

Check out hugamonkey.com for the best slings around!

Ugh I hated the stomach press it was horrible. At least with the second i knew what they were going to do instead of the unexpected pain. I would just go with the disposable nursing pads i never did try the washing one unless you wash and dry laundry all the time. Dont do the litttle teepees just open the diaper give it just a second for the air to hit that weewee and then place it back up over it and let him pee. You will get peed on, it is inevitable. Or get a burp rag and toss it over him when you take his diaper off if hes just wet. The snuggli sucked, i would do a wrap thing or with my daugther i didnt do anything like that just the swings and strollers for her. Good luck with the babe!!!! Makes me want another.

I only remember the nurses pressing on my stomach to check things, not to make my uterus contract. But it's been 2 1/2 years since I last went thru the experience, so I don't remember fully!

As far as the products go, I will speak very highly of a baby carrier. I have used Snugli and Bjorn and like them both. A cloth sling (a thin one, not those big bulky ones Snugli makes) is really good for the first month or two as well. I can't thing of the brand my aunt used with her baby, but I used it for a while, too. And I really liked it. It's a great way to keep your baby close to you while you get other things done. They're also nice when you are shopping because then you don't have to put your baby in those dirty germ infested shopping carts. Hahaha. The Bjorn can hold a baby up to 22 lbs I think. So you can use them for a long time. Anyway, good luck!

yep.. it is called fundal massage. it is supposed to help you uterus kind of close back up. i didn't like it one bit.. but at least the nurse who did it apologized first. there are other things that work too... like nipple stinulation & nursing.

as for the washable breast pads, are you talking about the cloth kind or lily padz? i prefer the lily padz, they are silicone... and kind of stick on your breasts. they are not nearly as noticeable through clothing.. and washable/reusable. they do take a little getting used to though...

Yes, the belly "massage" after delivery KILLS! Unfortunately it is necessary, fortunately they only do it for a couple of days. I have a girl, so I haven't used the teepees, but, a friend of mine loves them. She said she was saved from many a sprinkling from using them :) As for carriers, I use the Moby wrap and I love it. Everytime I go out people comment on it: how comfortable it looks, how nice for baby, how much my daughter seems to enjoy it. And all of it is true. It is extreemly comfortable. One of the great things about it is that you can wear baby a bunch of different ways, starting from birth. I found mine online. It was $40 and I got my money's worth in about 2 weeks of using it! My daughter is 5 months and I still carry her in it, and I plan to use it for a long time (I think you can wear baby until 35 lbs., so you can even wear him as a toddler). It's also not difficult or complicated to put on. After about 3 times of putting it on I didn't have to think about it anymore. Good luck and congratulations with your Christmas baby :)

About the stomach pushing...
Yes you are right it is being done to ensure that your uterus is contracting, which is vital so that you don't bleed from the open vessels where the placenta used to be attached. If someone is bleeding more than they ought to be it is important to massage the uterus, to help it to squeeze and close off the vessels, but also to help get the clots out so it can squeeze down effectively. If a doctor/nurse/midwife is concerned about the bleeding she may be pretty vigorous about the massage.
As a doula I have seen some nurses that are overly harsh in their checking in a woman. If that is your nurse, have her teach you how to check your own uterus, it is possible and you can do it more gently than she might! If you already have your hands on your own uterus and your showing her that it is tight and firm like a canteloupe then she will leave you alone!
Good luck with your baby!

Almost all of the time your dr will do the fundal massage immediately following delivery. No, it is NOT necessary, especially if you are nursing and get baby latched on immediately after delivery, *unless* you are having issues with hemorraging or your placenta is not completely whole when it delivers. Also, odds are that you'll end up with pitocin at some point (even if not when you're in labor, they'll often stick it in your IV at delivery to help your uterus contract down afterward), so if you've got that going on, you also don't need the massage.
The nurses will come in and feel your stomach throughout the first 24hrs to make sure that your uterus is shrinking at the appropriate rate, and while they do have to push a bit to be able to feel it well, they should not be pushing so hard that it hurts you. Uncomfortable-yes, it will be, but it should not be painful.

I have not tried those breast pads, so I'm no help there.

The teepees are honestly more of just a funny thing. The few people I know who have tried them found them to be a nuisance. Four of my seven kids are boys, and as long as you don't leave them just sitting out there in the air, you really shouldn't have much of a problem! I've been peed on a total of less than a dozen times, and just as often as it was my boys, my girls managed to do it too. : ) One trick is to open up the diaper as you begin to change him, let the air hit him, and then hold the diaper down for a minute before you actually change him-just peek in carefully and make sure he's not going anymore before you do change him. You learn to be efficient and watchful and you do just fine!

As far as carriers are concerned, I have tried two of the different front carriers (Snugli/Bjorn type), a ring sling, a pouch sling and a wrap. I had not tried the wrap until my most recent baby was born in July and I LOVE it!! It is just like the Moby Wrap (I made it, much cheaper!), I just used the demos on their website to learn a few more different ways to tie it. It has been great, unbelievably comfortable for both me and baby, and gives a much better fit, and a better distribution of weight than any of the others have. It does not pull on your shoulders or back at all. In fact, everywhere I go I have people stopping me and asking about it. (maybe I should get smart and start making them and selling them! lol)I have also enjoyed the slings as my babies get a little bit bigger-usually when they have good control over their head and can be more upright. If I were starting over with my first, I would get just the wrap, then maybe as baby is older (6+months) I would do a ring sling.
Good Luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the arrival of your little one!

I went all-natural drug-free for my pregnancy, and the part that hurt the worst was the stomach pushing at the end. I don't know if this is always the reason, but in my case they were actually trying to get the placenta out-- apparently if it doesn't come out in a 45-minute window after the baby then they have to take some drastic measures. Mine came out at about minute 43, I think, and they were tugging on it and "massaging" (read "pummeling") my uterus the whole time.

I didn't use any of the products you're asking about, but the snugglies look like they work pretty well for infants, and I'd probably try that instead of the other carriers I used. (I had one of the baby wraps and an Ergo Baby carrier.)

I am a nurse so I can help explain why they push on your stomach. First they do help it contract. 2nd they are feeling it to see if it is shrinking back to normal size, whick is the purpose of the contractions. Also they are checking for blood clots, or bleeding. As the uterus contracts back to normal size the bleeding should slow down. If not there is something wrong. Hope this helps.

I am an OB physician and, yes, we always push on your uterus after delivery to get your uterus to stop bleeding. It can be quite painful. The more your uterus bleeds, the more vigorously we push. You are more likely to bleed if it's your 3rd, 4th or more delivery, if you have a large baby or lots of fluid.

No - with my three kids (all born in the last 5 yrs) the doctor did not push on my stomach. They gave me some pitocin post-delivery to encourage the uterus to contract. The nurses would occasionally feel my uterus to see if it was contracting & while it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't that painful either. The most painful part for me was my body's own contractions - mosty induced by breastfeeding.

As for the product questions, I have used the Snuggli & I love it.

Just a quick response: I used the snuggli and loved it. It works well for small babies, such as up to 1 year old. I used if from everything for going to the library and needing both hands to vacuuming the house. It keeps them close (snuggled) right up to you and has a support for thier heads for the infant stage. You can first face them towards you then turn them around when they get bigger. Not a hiking type. It was easy to put on and put the baby in and take him out of. Good buy from my perspective! Congratulations!

J.

Yeah, the nurses pushed on my stomach and it HURT!!! But I guess it helps so I don't grump at them too much. ;-) I've tried the little teepees for my little boy. They ended up being more of a hassle. Actually, he's over a year old now and NEVER once did he pee without his diaper on (I know I'm lucky, and I'm sure the next time I have a boy I'll be paid back tenfold!) so he never really needed them. They just got in the way when I was trying to wipe away the poo. My advice would be to just learn to change the diaper quickly. Also, I used a sling for both of my babies and I loved it. Mine was homemade, so I can't really recommend any particular brand, but I do know that I liked the sling better than a regular front carrier that you strap the baby into. Good luck with your new baby when he comes! :-)

I agree, the stomach massage was no fun! And it wasn't just the dr after delivery, the nurses kept coming back and doing every time they checked on me!
I've never tried the washable nursing pads, i just used the disposable kind. We looked at the little teepees, but again never used them... and thank god our little man hasn't ever peed on me! (knock on wood) We got a sniggli last min to take on a flight and honestly he was only in it for like the walk into the airport and then he wanted out. Now we have an ergo and its MUCH better! He's 20+lbs now and my back doesnt hurt at all carrying him in it... and it did after like 20 min of him in the snuggli when he was maybe 10lbs. The Ergo can also be worn on the front, hip, or back and will hold a child up to 40lbs. It has a zipper pocket to store things, a sleeping hood, and hooks that you can attach toys to... and you can buy other accessories for it like an infant insert and backpacks. www.ergobabycarriers.com

Ah, I remember the lovely uterus massages the nurse gives you after birth! I don't know why they don't give your body more time to contract the uterus itself (especially if you're nursing, which helps the uterus contract in a very efficient way, but it still hurts)? They say it hurts more with each child you have! I didn't think it was excruciating pain (compared to contractions and a natural labor/delivery), but it was definitely uncomfortable! At least it's only temporary!

To answer your other questions: I tried the Lily Pads(z)? (silicone nursing pads) with my second baby. I leaked a lot and hated using the disposable pads b/c I went through so many every day. These seemed to help cut down my leakage because they applied pressure to my nipples. Plus, they were more discreet - you couldn't see any bulkage through my shirts, where the disposable pads would clearly show their shape through some of the things I wore. Also, if you're wearing something that doesn't require a bra (like maybe when you're on a date or something!), but still need help with leaking, you can wear these easily! The down-side to them is that they don't stick to the inside of your bra, so when I would nurse, I would have to try to tuck them inside the bra or take them completely out which was kind of a pain. Plus, if they get wet inside (either from perspiration or milk) they don't stick. For the most part, though, I enjoyed using them and will probably buy them again with this baby (#3).
I never used the teepees for my boys. I would just use either the diaper or a washcloth to cover the area.
I loved my front carrier!! I had a Baby Bjorn. I couldn't justify spending $100+ on one, but a friend bought it for us. I have since gotten rid of it, but now need another one. I just bought an Evenflo Snuglie for $20. It's a front and back carrier and looks like it will work just as well as the Baby Bjorn, but it's way more affordable! I am also going to try a sling this time.
Good luck with your baby boy!! They are a lot of fun! :)

I just had a baby and they did push on my stomach after delivery. It took the Dr. awhile to get the plecenta out. I have the tee pees and they don't work . I just use an extra wipe. I had 2 girls before so this is new to me too. Had a snugli for the first, hated it. I now use a sleepy wrap and love it. Check it out on the internet. Its quite affordable too. Good luck ...

Whoo hoo! I was due on Christmas too with our first boy but he was late and I had him on New Years Eve at 9pm! Good luck!
Yes, they did push on my stomach and yes it hurt a bit. On the PeePee TeePee's...cute but not effective. Just lay the new diaper across that area while you wipe/clean. I even had a little burp cloth that I kept just for the changing table to put over him. It's good practice w/little boys - they tend to spray!

I don't remember if they pushed on my stomach after delivery but I had an epidural so even if it hurt I couldn't feel it.

My favorite breast pads are the Lansinoh ones and they are disposable. Don't get the Johnson & Johnson ones, they stick to your nipple and your baby will get lint all over his lips.

I just had a baby 7 weeks ago, I don't remember them pushing on my stomach. The Dr. massaged it, but it didn't hurt, so I don't know about that. I also don't know about any of the other products, but I love the Moby wrap to carry my son in. It can be used for different positions and I always feel that he is secured and I never worry about him slipping. It is also great to calm him down when he is being fussy.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!!

Yes, I remember the stomache pushing thing and it hurting but it didn't last long.
As far as the products go, I'm not sure what the maternity pads are. Are they nursing pads or a post delivery pad, or maybe something else? If they're post delivery, I used depends for the first couple of weeks. Sounds weird, but worked great and I didn't ruin any clothes.
The teepees sound like a great idea, but I've never used them ; I have two girls.
The Snugli I have used and I prefered the Baby Bjorn so, so much more. The Snugli is a lot cheaper, but it feels that way, too, and even when my oldest was a newborn, I could only wear it for a few minutes before my back was killing me. The Baby Bjorn had a lot mor support for my baby as well as me. Much better product in my opinion and worth the extra money.

Its been a while since my last baby, but I'm due as a surro in Feb/March. I never had my stomach masaged, but my Mom said she did and it was something to do with bleeding and helping the uterus shrink. Before they do it, ask if it is necessary b/c of how painful it is. Maybe you could get a pain pill about a half hour before they do it?

My favorite breast pads for the beginning were the Soothies. They were a gel patch that stuck to your breast and was able to collect leaking milk. They only worked for a couple of days before you needed switched, but I only went through a couple before I didn't need them any more.

I tried a couple different slings and never found one that I loved. I have heard good things about the Moby but haven't used it!
GL and enjoy you x-mas baby!!
J.

doctor does push and it does hurt a little bit. i tried the stick on paddds. i actually prefer the washable non stick ones. i got frustrated with the others.

I absolutely loved the breastfeeding pads. I used them while nursing twins. They do not hurt or dry your nipples out at all. They are so very comfortable! I would recommend 2 pair, one to change into while you let the others air dry. You need to let them dry fully so that they become stickable again. They stay on, and you don't have to use the lasinoh cream at all. They come highly recommended by me.

The pushing on the stomach was the worst thing I felt. I had one naturally and one with a c-section. I was majorly drugged with the natural but I wanted to punch that doctor for doing that, so sorry so say..something to look forward to :( The only product Ive heard of is the Snuglie. I had one for my first child and rarely used it and did not want one for my second. It just didnt feel comfortable and sturdy enough. Hope you have a Wonderful Christmas Baby and good luck.

I know my stomach was pushed on after all 3 deliveries, but I do not remember it hurting...of course, I also had had epidurals for all 3 births, so that could be part of it.

I loved our front carrier/backpack Snugli. It's a little more (mine was $30 at WalMart) than the regular front carrier, but we used it a lot longer than we could have used a front carrier. In fact, we used it on our backs more than in front of us! Of course, our boys could sit up earlier than most (they have to be able to sit up to ride on your back) and they were also pretty heavy, so they would have outgrown the weight limit on the front packs pretty early. The back pack is a lot more comfy, too, than carrying 20 pounds on your chest.
Another great thing is that you can get some work done when the baby just won't settle down or let you put him down. You can't do dishes or cook dinner or mop with a front carrier. They get wet, burned or impossibly heavy, respectively.
I saw those pee pee teepees online and had a good laugh. I thought that maybe I'd try to make one out of a "lap pad" if we ever have another boy. But in reality, I have only been hosed a few times (probably 5-6) by my two boys, total. I usually have a cloth diaper (we use them for burp cloths) or wash cloth nearby, or I just stop the spray with my hand (grosser things have happened) to direct it to the lap pad I keep on the changing table.
I had washable breast pads and they were great. I never had stick-on. When I broke down and bought disposable pads, I thought I was in heaven, though! They're so thin, and much easier to take along in the diaper bag. I still used the washables when I was home, though. And the soft, padded fabric ones (washable) were invaluable for padding and protecting sore nipples.

Baby Bjorn have great support! It is really worth the extra money!!

My midwife and the nurses did that and it was, by far, the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life. I hadn't heard about this, despite birthing classes and learning from other moms. I now make sure I let other women soon to become new moms so they aren't completely surprised, too.

I used a snuggli with my son, despite my preference for slings. He, personally, didn't like the sling (he's still funny about space at 2 yrs old), but the snuggli seemed to work for him.

You can massage your own abdomen/fundus if you want, and tell your birth attendants just to watch to make sure you are applying proper pressure, and breastfeeding immediately after birth also helps the uterus contract. Afterpains are unpleasant but they do help slow your bleeding and shrink everything back into place.
I am a big fan of slings. My Maya Wrap brand ring sling is my favorite--the fabric is so nice and adjustable and it has a pocket for my keys right in the tail of the sling. Also doubles as a nursing cover and a third arm, so Ic an chase my other kids. I have friends who just love mei tai carriers--check out www.babyhawk.com for come cute ones.
I love Lansinoh nursing pads. They are stick on and don't show through my clothes. I think they're the most absorbant and discreet ones I've ever worn.
I've heard some consumer groups are expressing concerns about the design of some front packs because they put a lot of pressure on Baby's spine, and that is you wear your baby in one, you should make sure Baby's hips and bum are rotated underneath him, so he's curved a bit and not sitting straight up--I guess they are just not ready to be in that position for very long.
Never bothered with the teepees, although they're cute. I just keep a diaper close by, and like someone else said, I have three boys and I've only been peed on a couple of times.

I don't have the teepees from motherhood but do have the ones from toys'r'us and they are wonderful. It saves many clothing changes during the day which can be a pain.

As for the Snuggli, I would reccomend the Baby Bijourn instead. They are spendy but I use mine all the time and they give great support to newborns. All of my girlfriends swear by them (even the frugal ones invest in them). If you don't want to spend the money for a new one, go to a gently used baby clothing store. We have Once Upon a Child and I have seen them in there for a fraction of the price. I acutally picked mine up at a garage sale and it was the best $5 I ever spent.

I barely remember the messaging as I was focussed on my epsiodomy being stitched up and my premie breathing. My second I remember messaging too but got to hold my son right away and didn't care.

I used Soothies from Wlagreens and loved them. You wash them with water. then I had two packages of washable pads and loved those much more then the disposables which was wasteful, stuck out, and stuck to dried milk. I think I got mine at Babies'R'Us. Mine had a tuck sewn in it so it was more coned shaped. I had a "flat" kind and they showed. I used a mesh laundry bag for them and washed them with the baby sleeping gowns and onesies.

I didn't use a wenie teepee. I just put the new diaper under his bottom, pulled off the old one, wiped quickly, and flopped the new diaper over quickly while I coordinated paste or whatever. Just use the diaper or it is to many things. I learned this in day care teaching. You can also use the wipes or a wash cloth for a bit while you are learning to coordinate. Eventually, they don't pee as much like that while you are changing. You can also start taking off the diaper and pause a minute (bond and talk) and wait for him to pee then finish.

I used the BabyBjorn. Liked the one with a back brace. I have short back so I was a bit uncomfortable. I moved to a Madden (boulder women's company) backpack made for smaller babies (about three o four months.) I had friends carry their babies arround everywhere but i needed space and didn't cary them around as much. I rather just have a bouncer near by or use a stroller even inside to cart around while I was cleaning and stuf.

My nurse on the delivery of my last baby was really rough and it hurt more than any other. I screamed even though I didn't mean to. My midwife said that when they push, they should support the bottom of the uterus with their other hand and knead it gently. She had stepped out of the room but said that nurses are being trained by other nurses on this instead of at medical school and aren't doing it right. It is actually possible to do some damage. Just FYI and tell them to take it easy. You are in charge. It is necessary to get the clotting going but I was sore where she pushed for almost a month and thought she had dislodged an ovary or something which I don't think is possible.

A - I've read the other request and you've got great advice. We really liked our Bjorn that we got off of e-bay. I didn't want to spend a ton on a new one and the one we got was in great condition.

I used tee pees, they just fall off, and after a while baby learns not to pee during diaper changes, at least mine did when I let out a little "Aaaah!" Instant flow stopper.

No one ever pushed on my belly but they told me to massage it to make it go down. It is your body so if you really don't want them to do that talk about it before delivery. Good luck.

The Snugglies front carry pack we tried and the plastic clips that are on the side to hold the baby in came undone several times aqnd my baby almost fell out. This wasn't from user error. I have 4 children and checked the device as well as the instructions many times to make sure. It seems as though the clasps were just a little too flexible and just popped loose.

As far as the pushing on the stomach thing I have had that all four times and the with different Dr.s is was different. It was uncomfortable every time but some physicians were more gentle than others.

The stomach massage after the birth didn't hurt much at all. It was just uncomfortable to me.

As for the products, I like the LilyPads. The only issue I have with them is that I produce quite a bit of breastmilk, and if I let it go too long, nothing can stop the flow! Along those same lines, when I feed/pump on one side, the other side tends to let down as well, leaving a small reservoir underneath the silicone pad that can shoot straight out when you break the seal, if you're not careful! I use them during the day, and Lansinoh breast pads at night or while working out.

When it comes to wraps, I think the Moby Wrap is hands down the best until they get old enough to sit up. It can be a bit of a pain to put on at times, but once it's on and the baby's in, you are free to do nearly anything! I personally don't like slings as much until the baby can support himself enough to sit on your hip without much of an issue. Newborns are susceptible to gravity, and always slide down, making the slings fairly awkward.

Yes, my doctor pushes on my stomach after delivery and thinking back, it was very painful. The good part is that I totally forgot about that part until you brought it up so it couldn't have been too bad! My favorite baby carrier is the Bjorn...I used it all the time, especially in stores when I didn't want to lug around the car carrier.

Love the Ergo! I still carry my 2 1/2 year old around in it sometimes!

Hated my Snuggli. Love my Baby Bjorn. Also, I think the video "The Happiest Baby on the Block" is a must see. GL and congratulations!