u/Anxious_Girly98

This might sound like a silly question lol but bear with me. I know redheads can react differently to anesthesia… I’ve had 3 surgeries before the age of 3 and wisdom teeth removal when I was 17 where they put me completely out. I’ve never had an issue with the effectiveness of the anesthetic… but it got me wondering about the epidural or even a spinal block for a c-section. I’m really hoping to having my pain managed while in labor, but I’ll be 14 weeks tomorrow… so I’ve got time. Any natural redhead give birth and run into any issues with pain management? or any redheads have success stories as well?

Just had my first appointment with the midwife! My first appointment was with the OB at around 8 weeks. Today I am 13 weeks 4 days. I came in with a list of questions/worries and she definitely reassured me with her medical advice/knowledge. About to go get some more blood drawn. Hopefully my ferritin levels have went up since I started taking an extra supplement. 🤞🏻 My blood pressure is good but sometimes anxiety causes my diastolic to be in in the high 80s/low 90s. They checked it at the end of the appointment and it was great. She wants me to start a baby aspirin and we’ll keep an eye on the blood pressure with office visits and at home monitoring. She used a doppler at the end of the appointment and his heart rate is 155bpm. I’m so happy that she seems so knowledgeable and helpful. Just excited that my baby boy is doing well and that I can put some of my worries to rest!

Hi! I am 12 weeks 4 days pregnant and I went to the ER last night for really bad cramping. Baby is good and it turned out to be from constipation. While I was there, they tested my TSH and free T4. I was concerned because I also had my TSH tested in late July and at that time it was 2.763mlU/L.. so, not too bad. Last night my TSH was 4.84ulU/mL and my T4 was 0.88ng/dL. I’m not a doctor so I don’t know if that’s a big jump for less than 2 weeks, but I do know the TSH is too high for pregnancy and I read that my results would be considered subclinical hypothyroidism. The ER did not seem concerned since it was in their normal range for non pregnant women, but they said to follow up with my OB. I sent a message to my OB late last night when I got home and it turns out that he’s out of the office til next week. So I called the office to see if I could talk to someone about it and she was very dismissive and said that she’d put a note down for a nurse and that I will probably have to wait until my appointment on August 17th, a week from now. I know that’s not far away, but I don’t know how serious this is and I would like to talk to someone about it. I don’t want anything to happen to my baby due to not being proactive and I know that a TSH below 2.5 is ideal during pregnancy. So I called my primary care who tested my TSH the first time and they just got back to me and said that since my levels are still within the normal range, I should wait for my appointment next week with the midwife. But it’s not in the normal range for pregnant women.. many pregnant women get proscribed medication with numbers even above 3.0. A TSH higher than 2.5 can lead to a miscarriage or impaired brain development in the baby. I don’t know, I might sound crazy, but this is my first pregnancy and I’ve had some scares early on and I just want to do the right thing. Has anyone else had numbers like these? What did your doctor do and was your baby okay? I just need a bit of reassurance or advice until I can talk to the midwife next week.

In embarrassed to say this, but I’ve been slacking on hygiene a bit. I’m 12 weeks, 4 days and I am so worn out during/after a shower. My back hurts, my pulse is racing, and I just want to lay down. I even have to sit down in the shower sometimes because it’s just too much. I have HG, my TSH is a bit high, and my ferritin is low so I don’t know if that’s contributing to it, but ugh I need a break. Anyone else struggling? Time to shut the work computer down and lay down lol

I have a question. For reference, I’m 27F and my partner is 30M. I’m 12+3 with my first baby and I have not really planned anything out/bought anything. I have HG so I’ve mostly been focusing on keeping myself and my baby healthy with proper nutrients and staying hydrated. Now that I’m starting to feel better physically, I’m nervous that I’m not preparing soon enough? I haven’t bought anything and I also have not been saving up money. I have a good job and so I’m not really strapped for cash and my boyfriend is in the picture and makes decent money as well. But it’s decent money for the two of us.. i don’t know how much that will change with a newborn. So I would like to have a bit of a savings and maybe cut back on the doordash lol. We both work from home so I don’t think we’ll need childcare often and if we do, our parents would happily help out. So I’m not anticipating spending money on childcare. I also had a bit of a scare early on in the pregnancy, and so I didn’t want to buy too much just in case the pregnancy didn’t progress as it should… but baby boy has been growing at a good rate and has a strong heartbeat 🩵! I know things can still happen, but I’m nearing the end of the first trimester and it’s more likely that all will be okay! So I guess I’m just wondering when you guys started saving/buying things? I know it’s up to me when I think is best, but I want to be prepared and not get started too late.

I’m struggling. I’m 12+2 and I’m checking the toilet paper consistently every time after I go to the bathroom. Even shining my flashlight so that I can see if there’s even a tint of red. I do have a small SCH and had a bleed from that early on, but it’s been over 7 weeks since I bled. I noticed the toilet paper is bright yellow when I wipe, but I’m assuming that’s due to the prenatal and I’ve been hydrating consistently now that I can keep things down so I shouldn’t be dehydrated. Also, TMI, but I’ve been having sleep orgasms for the first time in my life and I was trying to refrain from that so that I wouldn’t worsen the SCH. The SCH was still there at 10+3, but very small.. i don’t know, it could be gone by now. My OB is not concerned and didn’t put me on any restrictions, but I read that sometimes pelvic rest is suggested and I decided to do that for my sanity. But ugh my anxiety is high and I just want this baby to be healthy. My mind is constantly going to worst case scenario. Anyone else having this toilet paper anxiety? Any advice or reassurance that you guys could give? Thank you for taking the time to read this, I’d really like to hear your experiences with anxiety/overthinking and what helped.

I’m 12+1 and have had horrible HG since about 6 weeks. I lost 15lbs in two weeks and finally found a medication that works well for me. I’ve been able to eat more regularly and get fluids. I’m still losing a little bit of weight, but I’m trying my best. This time has been so hard on my mental health and my body has felt so weak, I’ve told my boyfriend multiple times that I am struggling with feeling sick and feeling like I’m not able to get enough nutrients for our baby. He has made countless comments about my weight before pregnancy. Today I expressed to him that I was feeling really sick again and that I’m still losing a bit of weight. He says “that’s good, right?” I said ‘good that i’m losing weight?’ and he said “yeah” (this was over text). He’s said so many things during this pregnancy that have hurt me deeply and tonight I’ve gone into a complete panic attack, HR 145 while laying down, heavy breathing, feels like my throat is closing up. Am I overreacting? I’m worried about what he might say once I start putting on weight in the 2nd and 3rd trimester and even what I’ll look like postpartum.

I don’t mean to sound dumb and this is my first pregnancy lol but what week does the 2nd trimester start? I’ve googled it and it seems that some people say week 13 and some say week 14. I’ll be 12 weeks tomorrow and I’m looking forward to the 2nd trimester. I’ve been so sick the 1st trimester and I know it doesn’t always just magically disappear at the 2nd trimester, but I have hope lol!

I read that this is happening in other subreddits that have to do with pregnancy. I just got a message from a random person asking “making breast milk yet?” Such an odd thing to ask someone you don’t know, especially if there was no previous contact. Women have been getting asked for bump pictures and just weird questions in general that seem to be fetishizing pregnancy. So I just wanted everyone to be aware and stay safe! 💛 I’m sure the mods are on top of it, but I’m mostly talking about private message requests!

So I am 10 weeks and 5 days pregnant and I am struggling with my water intake. I’ve always hated water before getting pregnant because it upsets my stomach and has no flavor. I know water intake is important during pregnancy for amniotic fluid and hydration and whatnot, but I’ve developed HG and I struggle to even get a 16oz water bottle down in a day. I’ve tried flavor packets and adding lemon or lime and it has helped! Now I’m just kind of worried that I’ve done some kind of damage to my baby from not drinking enough water. Truthfully, I was not aware of the amniotic fluid implications until today as this is my first pregnancy. On the bright side, my ultrasounds have shown a normal amount of amniotic fluid. Is anyone else struggling with this and had a healthy pregnancy?

So I’m 10+4 and I am having some anxiety about having sex with my partner while being pregnant. I had a pregnancy scare at about 5 weeks from bleeding that turned out to be due to a small SCH. I haven’t had sex with my man since probably May? I know he wants to and so do I, but I’m letting my OCD/anxiety get the best of me. I won’t even masturbate because I’m scared that having an orgasm will cause some kind of uterine contractions… I don’t even know if this is logical. Anyway, my SCH is still here as of yesterday, but it is still pretty small and I have not had any bleeding since 5 weeks. I also heard that some women have spotting after sex during pregnancy just due to be extra sensitive while pregnant. I feel like if him and I have sex and I start spotting, my mind will just think of the worst. But I miss having sex with him and I know I won’t be able to for awhile after I give birth. I guess I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this anxiety? Also don’t be scared to tell me that I’m being illogical lol

A note to add is that I was never told by my OB that I couldn’t have sex or that I should be on pelvic rest, but I haven’t had the chance to ask yet. I will bring up my concerns at my next appointment!

Update: I had an ultrasound done and the heartbeat was in the 160s. Apparently the nurse picked up my heartbeat on the doppler. Sorry for freaking out a bit, this first trimester has me worried almost every day. Also, thank you to everyone that commented!

I am so terrified that I am losing this baby. I went to the hospital because I felt lightheaded and close to passing out. The nurse who said she wasn’t skilled in using a doppler tried to find my baby’s heartbeat. She said she found it, but it was only 98bpm. I know this is too low for being 10 weeks and 3 days and my previous ultrasound less than 2 weeks ago showed a heart rate of 172bpm. The doctor ordered an ultrasound to get a better look at things. I am spiraling. I’m hoping the nurse just picked up my HR instead of the baby’s. I do not know if I can mentally handle losing this baby. I am an anxious mess waiting here. Any reassurance or something would really be appreciated.

Hi everyone, I’m new here and just wanted to see if anyone can relate. I’m 10 weeks and 2 days pregnant and recently I’ve been getting an odd sensation in my RUQ. I was told I have a fatty liver in March 2026 that could be due to my weight (BMI of 33/34) or due to daily heavy alcohol use. I know this sub is for NAFLD, which I might have… I’m not sure if it’s related to alcohol. I stopped drinking after that scan and got pregnant two months later. I was not experiencing any kind of pain until earlier this week. It just kind of feels like a fullness in my RUQ. The feeling isn’t there in the mornings, but starts to get noticeable as the day progresses. It can be relieved with changes in posture and it does not hurt when I push on the area. All of my liver enzymes have been normal, except for elevated enzymes in Dec 2024. I’ve had my enzymes checked multiple times after that and they have always been normal and even on the lower side of normal. I recently was told I have a little bit of bilirubin in my urine but that it could have been due to dehydration (I have developed Hyperemesis Gravidarum during this pregnancy unfortunately). My OB does not seem at all concerned and I have an appointment with my primary care on Monday where I will bring up my concerns. I figured my liver had at least improved in the past 4 months with no alcohol so this fullness feeling is kind of odd to me. I’m trying to convince myself that it’s due to trapped gas/constipation (yay pregnancy symptoms)! Anyway, I’d be interested in hearing others experiences and opinions! Here is the info from my ultrasound in March:

The liver demonstrates diffuse mild
hyperechogenicity. 2.0 cm hypoechoic focus seen in the left hepatic lobe. No intra or extrahepatic biliary ductal dilatation with the common bile duct measuring up to two mm in diameter. No cholelithiasis or evidence of acute cholecystitis.
Hepatic steatosis with 2.0 cm hypoechoic lesion in the left hepatic lobe which appears to vaguely hyperenhance on prior CT. This is nonspecific in etiology, may be atypical appearance of hemangioma due to background steatosis.

I figured “mild hyperechogenicity” meant that the fatty liver was mild, but I’m not sure.

I’m also unrealistically worried that it has progressed to cirrhosis somehow, I’m sure they would’ve seen that on the ultrasound?? I had a normal ultrasound on my liver in 2025, so i’m sure it wouldn’t have went from being completely normal to cirrhosis in less than a year! I don’t know, I’m just worried that my liver issues will cause issues with my pregnancy as I am very grateful to be pregnant.

I’m 10 weeks, 1 day and i’ve noticed that my abdomen just feels so warm, my skin was typically cold before I became pregnant. Anyone else have this warmth?? I feel like everything is a pregnancy symptom at this point lol.

First, I want to apologize for the long post. I’ve just been struggling so much since finding out I’m pregnant. I’m currently 10 weeks and 1 day. I have pretty bad diagnosed OCD/anxiety/depression and was taken off my medications when I found out I was pregnant. I’m overthinking every medical thing that could be wrong with me that could cause me to lose this baby. I have a history of borderline high cholesterol (December, 2025: total: 234mg/dL.. LDL was 141mg/dL), a mild fatty liver (saw on an US in March), and I am overweight (BMI is 33/34). All of these things are probably due to my past heavy drinking which I haven’t had a drink since March. So both have probably resolved for the most part. I just keep getting a pain in the top right of my abdomen. I’m sure it’s gas/constipation related because it occurs on the left side too sometimes. My liver enzymes are normal as well. I’m also worried about my iron levels as I’m a vegetarian and I’ve been having restless leg syndrome. I’ve talked to my OB about my concerns and he says he doesn’t feel the need to run any tests. He just says to bring it up with the midwife next month and maybe get referred to MFM. He did say I could take an extra iron supplement in addition to the iron in my prenatal, but I don’t want to do that without knowing whether my iron is low or not. I just don’t feel like my concerns are being taken seriously, but I know I should trust my OB. I made an appointment with my primary care for Monday next week and I’m going to bring my concerns up then as well. I’ve been to the hospital 6 or 7 times in the past month and a half (embarrassingly enough), but this was due to dehydration from what they said is HG (I passed out, couldn’t even keep down sips of water, lost 15lbs in 2 weeks). I was also there for cramping/bleeding at 5 weeks but it turns out I have a small SCH. I rarely went to the hospital before I became pregnant and I just don’t want to go back and be judged for going so frequently. I’ve had multiple transvaginal ultrasounds and all have shown good growth and a strong heartbeat. I’m seeing a therapist and psychiatrist as well, but I just can’t seem to out my mind at ease. I want to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby so badly and the negative thoughts about what could happen are very overwhelming. I wish I could have more reassurance, I even thought about an at home fetal doppler, but I read that they can heat tissue and give inaccurate results which can lead to more stress. I know it’s best to wait till your health is optimal to have a baby, I was not trying to get pregnant, but now that I am, I feel so blessed to be having a baby. I just don’t know what to do to remain positive and hopeful and stay off of google. Any advice or shared stories would really be appreciated!

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion about weight and body image. So I will be a first time Mom and I’ll be 10 weeks tomorrow, but I’m struggling with looking at myself in the mirror. I have always struggled with body image issues and ED thoughts, but I fear it’s getting worse. I’ve been anywhere from 115lbs to over 200lbs in my life. I started off this pregnancy at my worst, 5’4” and 208lbs. I developed HG and now I’m sitting around 193lbs. Even though I’ve lost 15lbs from being so sick, my stomach looks even bigger than it was when I was over 200lbs. I know this can’t possibly be from the baby since he/she is still so small. I’m pretty much thinking it’s from constipation and bloating. Every time I shower, I avoid the mirror, but sometimes I take a look and I just feel so disappointed in myself. I know I’ll be getting bigger as the pregnancy progresses and I’m so grateful that I’m pregnant, but I just feel a bit down about this. I’m not sure how I will handle my postpartum body which also has me worried. Anyone experiencing the same struggles?