Expectant parent club! Where the pregnant people hang out.

[SpringChickens]

For all you women considering a hysterectomy - make sure you weigh all your options really carefully. There are a LOT of side effects of hysterectomy which may not be worth it for you! Things such as urinary incontinence are very common. Also, if you do decide to get a hysterectomy after weighing all your options (since it is still the best option for many women), I would highly recommend leaving your ovaries in. Women who retain their ovaries have a *significantly* longer lifespan than women who choose to have them removed. Interestingly, the same is true in dogs... if you have your dog spayed, you might consider asking your vet to leave her ovaries in because it will increase her lifespan by approximately 30%.

 

[SpringChickens]

And my 2 cents on the Diaper Genie - I liked mine when my DD was little and still exclusively breastfeeding because her poop really didn't stink, but once she started solids, it was GROSS to change those bags. The bags also ran out *really* quickly and were *really* expensive... we quit using ours when she was about a year.

I have heard that the arm & hammer ones are better, especially since they can use any trash bags as a liner, but I would think you can get the same result by just sprinkling a little baking soda in your trash can after every diaper.

 

[SpringChickens]

And last post

....

I was checked by my doctor this morning and had my membranes stripped. She said she couldn't figure out why I hadn't gone into labor yet, so I have hope that I'll still beat this induction date! I am 4 cm dilated, 50% effaced and have a VERY soft cervix, so I really, really hope that this baby decides to come on his own soon...

Hope everyone else is doing well, and congrats to AyeUpChuck!!!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Quote:
I hope stripping those membranes work for you! I can't believe you're at a 4 and not gone yet! WALK!! Walk walk walk!! lol


Congrats, AyeUpChuck!

 

[krcote]

Quote:
If I were you I would be walking like I would never walk again!

 

[chixie]

Quote:
I hope it works for you. dd is due tiomorrow and she has a doctors apointment. hopefully she is past 1cm(she has ben 1cm for 3 weeks) ...

hopefully next time we hear from you you will be in labor or have your precious angel...

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
Is there a research paper on that? I've never heard that before (oh, and I'm a vet

), so I'd be really interested if there's research to back it up. The risk of leaving the ovaries in = Stump Pyometra = expensive emergency surgery and a VERY sick dog.

 

[SpringChickens]

Thanks for all your well wishes! We're having a gorgeous thunderstorm tonight, so I can only hope that helps!!

KellyHM - The paper was Waters et al., 2009 in the journal Aging Cell. Full reference is:

Waters DJ, Kengeri SS, Clever B, Booth JA, Maras AH, Schlittler DL, Hayek MG. Exploring mechanisms of sex differences in longevity: lifetime ovary exposure and exceptional longevity in dogs. 2009. Aging Cell 8:6; 752-755

I can get the pdf for you if you want - just pm me your e-mail address.

I don't know enough about stump pyometra to address that, but its much less common in dogs who have been spayed early in life and requires a uterine remnant. I don't know if leaving the ovaries in would negate the benefits of an early spay on stump pyometra though... Interesting stuff!!

(I'm a PhD student in reproduction, so I love thinking about/debating things like this!)

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I have had almost zero motivation today.

I did get all the kids' books picked up and organized on the bookshelf and two loads of laundry done and cooked lunch - that's about it. I've just had no umph to do anything, unlike last week when I was cleaning everything in sight!

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
It actually requires an OVARIAN remnant, therefore leaving the ovaries intact ====> stump pyometra. If the ovaries are gone it doesn't occur. That's one of the main reasons we take them out. There's also a significantly higher risk of mammary cancer.
Thanks, no need to send the pdf, I'll look it up.