Ummm...Gotta say it

This is regarding your response to the pain management posting. Make a plan. You CAN'T wait until that day to see how things go. This procedure can't be played loosey-goosey. Make a plan. What should be in you plan? For starters, your pain management PLAN. Notice I said PLAN, not ideas about possible options for a plan(s). PLAN. Visit the maternity ward. Take the "birthing" classes offered by the hospital. These classes are totally gay and teach about giving babies a bath, etc. However, there is always a session (planned or impromptu) about pain management. Our class was taught by an OB nurse. She is a goddess. She know ALL the pain management options and can let you know the ins and outs of each. These classes will arm you with local knowledge for your PLAN. Your PLAN should included specifics for which pain management techniques you want and when you want them. You will not ba able to make sound decisions at that point. Renee, step out...Brad this is for you. Don't let her mess around with pain meds...JUST GET HER THE F'ING EPIDURAL!!!!! Renee you can come back. All the back rubs, meditation, doula, candles, focus point, whale music foo-foo is bullshit in the eyes of an epidural. I did well without one but wish like hell I had had one.

Back to the PLAN...pain meds...check. What else? Decide NOW who will be allowed in the room. Tip: you, Brad, medical personnel. I don't know much about the whole doula movement, but extra people in the room giving you the nicey-nice "you can do it" will just irritate. Brad is smart; you can train him to take care of you. He will know the PLAN. He can implement the PLAN. You don't want anyone else there to screw it up. If it is a friend/doula...UGH. Friends are friends. They don't belong in the delivery room. I mean that in the nicest way.

Ready for this one...since we are talking about the PLAN? Episiotomy. It needs to be in your PLAN. Want it...don't want it. I didn't commit to this issue in my plan for Travis. He was delivered by an earth mother midwife (a non-episiotomy gal). Do your research on the issue (YOUR, current, 2005 research). Which is better, a sewn tear or a sewn cut? Here is the answer...no sewing...no tearing...no cutting. Two babies, no episiotomies, no stitches. I am not sure how I managed that, but from what I hear, the post baby stitches SUCK! There was a very funny "Will & Grace" episode about "exercising." The line I loved was "oh, there, I just did one." No go to this website http://www.askdrsears.com/html/1/T012200.asp and read up on kegels. I heard about them and it was the only exercising I did during my pregnancies. My midwife and MD credit the kegels with the no tearing/no episiotimy deliveries.

The PLAN basics...meds, people in room, episiotomy

Strrrreeeeettttcccchhhh Marks

Since you asked... There is no cure or prevention. The products that claim they can get rid of stretch marks are probably from the same lying manufacturers of moisturizers that claim they can get rid of wrinkles. Ask any dermotologist and she'll tell you...superficial cures only. Not skin deep, so to speak. I am not sure about genetics. I did not have any with Travis. I have two from Louis...little "dots" on the underside of my belly. I couldn't see them until after he was born (they're about the size of a quarter). I'm not too concerned about them; no one (not even myself) gets a nude shot long enough to spot them. I kind of like them. They feel weird, numbish. I can pinch the skin in that area and not feel it (like when you pinch your elbow). Maybe I'll get them pierced.

In a nutshell, you can't prevent or get rid of them. So breathe easy knowing that fretting will not help this situation one bit. Just one more thing we have no control over. Maybe something like retin-a might help. Good luck getting a Rx for stretch marks.