Agree, that’s a scary possibility! NICUs always use ready to feed formula, which is sterile. That’s a good option for babies under 3 months (after that age NEC is rare) or otherwise medically fragile, although it’s $$.
I think the other main option is to heat the water to a certain temperature that is hot enough to sterilize the powder but cool enough to avoid denaturing the proteins, mix, and then let the formula cool before giving to baby.
This is important to know even for parents who plan to breastfeed. I was a GE mom with a slightly premature baby and they wanted me supplementing her within like a couple hours of birth to avoid letting her sugars drop. (I was given a choice of RTF or donor breastmilk in the hospital, at home I used RTF until I was really confident about my milk supply.)
NGL it was painful - despite history of spontaneous pregnancy, I had a partial blockage that they sort of blasted through with the dye. For some reason they are really stingy with pain relief for HSG but maybe you could talk them into a Valium?
I’m to trying to think of what to compare it to. Getting a Novocaine shot in the gums? I mean, at least it’s pretty quick.
What @diapasoun said. I will infodump on fertility treatment and IVF on command!
My HSG wasn’t bad, but from what I’ve read it just varies widely and you don’t know ahead of time. It might be slightly worse if you have a blockage, but I had one, and hydrosalpinx, and mine was a piece of cake. The worst parts were scheduling for an exact day in my cycle and driving an hour away to do it (because that’s the hospital that has openings). There was some cramping but not very memorable, and did not persist after the procedure (again, for me). Having to twist my pelvis in the x-ray with the catheter and an audience was a little awkward but again, I’m kinda fishing for memories. FWIW I get the sense that people most likely to share their experience about any fertility tests had a bad one. But I’d ask about pain management or anxiety medication ahead of time just in case!
(On the flip side, my endometrial biopsy was absolutely awful. I think they use a stiffer catheter than HSG or transfer and my cervix is S-curvy so we Did Not Like. But many people report that test is absolutely no problem for them. Mind you it wasn’t the biopsy itself, just the access that was the problem…)
Have already shared a bit on my journal but background info:
Went off the pill to start ttc in December. Anticipated from the start that we might need medical assistance because I’m 36 and have basically never had a regular period, so vaguely planned to see a doctor after 6 months. Was initially very happy because my cycle came back pretty quickly after stopping the pill and seemed way more regular that I was expecting (by my standards). But then my period didn’t come again after mid-April so after two missed cycles I made an appointment at a fertility clinic, which was last week (basically right when we were planning on doing that anyway)
Now things are kind of happening faster than I was expecting! The doctor immediately diagnosed me with PCOS which I hadn’t been expecting. Planning on getting a second opinion on that at some point (after learning about a friend’s experience of being misdiagnosed in a way that seems similar to mine). But in the meantime, started progesterone to trigger a withdrawal bleed which finally started yesterday So now I’m starting letrozole and will get an HSG at some point this week. I’m still pretty nervous but trying not to think about it too much. Also need to figure out where and how to schedule it
Also, all of this is happening in Egypt where I am unfamiliar with (and have low confidence in) the healthcare system which makes it extra fun
The plus side is that I think the costs will be a fraction of what they would be in the US. We do not have any kind of insurance which is something we need to make a decision about soon (we can join a plan through partner’s job when the new school year starts in August, but it’s expensive and so just continuing to pay cash for everything might make more sense)
Costs so far:
initial consultation: ~$35
tests: ~$50
drugs: ~$2
Not sure how much the HSG or future appointments will be. Also not sure of general maternity care costs although I got some helpful info from a friend of a friend who is currently pregnant. She has the same healthcare plan we would have access to, but says she decided to stick with the lowest tier which doesn’t cover maternity care because everything so far has been so cheap ($12 for each appointment, maybe $40 for an ultrasound, etc) which was great to hear
I’ve had two. Slow flow means there had likely been a blockage that cleared. The cycle of the two I got were both the only natural pregnancies I ever achieved, 2 for 2. The first is now a 6.5 yr old child. The second was a MMC at 9 weeks (between my 2 kids). Both were very fast; neither was painful.
The only lab that I’ve actually been able to get in touch for about the HSG apparently only does it with anesthesia which requires fasting for 6 hours beforehand. Not sure how I feel about this!
What I’ve learned about Egypt is you have to go to a separate lab for basically any type of test or scan which is why this has been so annoying to schedule. But cheap at least the total cost I was told was ~$70
HSG accomplished! I think no blockages? Turns out there was in fact an extra cost for the anesthesia which was a grand total of… $7
Went back to the clinic today and the doctor says I have one mature follicle and should take a trigger shot tomorrow morning Got the shot from the pharmacy but I think I have to go back in the morning to have someone help me with the injection because I have no experience with that and do not feel confident teaching myself now lol
More money stuff:
Today’s appointment/ultrasound: ~$25
Shot: $15
I don’t know what medications/needles are used in Egypt, but if it’s a subcutaneous injection that goes in your belly, it’s really straightforward and the biggest issue will likely be psyching yourself up for it. And you should be able to find videos online to explain it.
Giving yourself or your partner shots is a fertility treatment rite of passage, but they should have instructed you or given a vetted resource (YT video) on how to do the shot.
That said, the Alto Pharmacy ones are pretty good if you need one.
This seems to vary a lot by country. I was pretty comfortable by the end with the intramuscular progesterone shots (core memory: doing one in an airport bathroom and discovering that 1 of the 2 vials I had brought, had shattered), but I definitely remember panicking about the first shot that I think was just a belly one.
So now I’m starting letrozole and will get an HSG at some point this week. I’m still pretty nervous but trying not to think about it too much. Also need to figure out where and how to schedule it
the total cost I was told was ~$70
Got the shot from the pharmacy but I think I have to go back in the morning to have someone help me with the injection because I have no experience with that and do not feel confident teaching myself now lol