Cathy Collins-Fulea MSN, CNM, FACNM is the Section Head, Midwifery and Medical Director, In-Patient Obstetrics for the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit MI. Ms Collins-Fulea's initial nursing and midwif ery education were complete in England before returning to complete a refresher program at Booth Maternity Center in Philadelphia. She then completed her Master's in Nursing Administration at Oakland University in Mic higan. read more

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Sign In to Ask a Question Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108   midwife   Thread Posted by Replies Views Date   maternity leave Question Hi I am 32 weeks pregnant and still working full time at wal mart d c I work 4 nights a week anywhere from 6 10 hours a night depending on our volume I am on my feet all night except for 15 minute breaks and there is a lot of bending and some lifting involved in my job also there is a bouncy ride going in and out of trailers to unload the trucks When should I take my maternity leave should I do it soon They do not give you light duty or anything it is do your job or take your leave If stuff is too heavy I usually have someone else lift it for me but it is holiday time and getting busier and harder to get help I have been having some pains My practitioner said that it sounded like braxton hicks but they are getting stronger I dont have them all the time so I am not too worried but I would like some more advice Thanks Answer tabrown0225 1 416 11/29/07 1:53 am   PREGNANCY AFTER MC Question Hi     My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since August 06 Prior to that I was on the Depo for two years A month after I got off the Depo I started my period I have had a regular 30 day cycle every month after that We got pregnant in April of 07 it was my first pregnancy I miscarried in July 07 I have had a normal period every month after that and now almost 5 months later I have still not been able to get pregnant This has been the most painful situation for the both of us Is there a reason as to why it has been so long and I cant get pregnant What could we do to improve our chances of getting pregnant soon   Thank you for your time   Answer 1 388 11/28/07 3:14 pm   progesterone levels Question I recently found out I was pregnant about 6 weeks now My doctor has been monitoring my hcg and progesterone levels due to a miscarriage 9 months ago My hcg level is doubling every 48 hours( now 5000) but I noticed my progesterone level has dropped my first was 16 9  then it dropped to 14 7 my doctor said it was still wnl and not to worry I was curious on why it dropped Any info is appreciated Answer kimbert81 1 359 11/28/07 11:59 am   rh negative Question My husband and I are both RH negative (A /O )   With our last pregnancy the provider agreed that it would not be necessary for me to receive Rhogam because neither of us had the Rh factor   We have since moved and I'm seeing a new provider who is pushing for the Rhogam shot during this pregnancy "to be on the safe side"    Is there even a possiblity that this baby or consequent pregnancies would be in danger from the RH factor if we refuse the Rhogam shot   I have one child from a previous relationship and she was Rh positive   During that pregnancy I received the Rhogam shot 4 times because we knew that her father was positive for RH    If I can avoid the shot I want to but I would like to know if there is an increased risk of complications for our child Answer kris0777 1 382 11/27/07 8:33 pm   When do babies typically turn to Vertex? Question I am 30 weeks and just had an ultrasound   The baby is still in the transverse position   The ultrasound tech said it doesn't mean anything at this point but that 90 of babies have turned into the vertex position by now   I am wondering what exactly this means for me   Are my chances still good that he will turn since there is still 10 weeks left   I've heard of plenty of babies being in the wrong position when it came time for delivery but I've never heard of a baby remaining in transverse position until the end   Any info would be greatly appreciated   Thanks Answer Keegansmomma05 1 471 11/26/07 4:23 pm   Pregnancy, sex and that painfull feeling Question Hi I have maybe a stupid question but it is important to me to know your opinion I am 30 weeks pregnant with no complication While I am having sex with my husband (not often maybe once in a week) and he will leave the sperm inside of me it hurts very badly It burns and my vagina is swollen After about 20 30 min everything is ok I told my doctor that but he said it's because I had yeast infection (at the time of the visit I did have it) but now it's almost a month later and I don't have yeast infection but it still hurts when he stays inside of me If he doesen't it's ok Nothing hurts me my vagina is all right  and it's not swollen Am I alergic to his sperm Or what is wrong with me p s The doctor at my last visit told me that I have some changes in my cervix and something about HPV but I didn't get it He told me not to worry about nothing Answer Tweety 1 504 11/26/07 3:27 pm   labor pains Question i have been at 2cm and 25 effaced for 2 weeks i am 37 weeks this is my 4th and 1st boy mucus plug came out 2 days ago i have had every early labor sign except contractions and water breaking when do you think the labor pains will start Answer faith22112 1 477 11/26/07 1:31 pm   second degree lacerations Question Hi I had my baby on October 12 2007 just 6 weeks ago and in the delivery my baby made me second degree lacerations the doctor that stitched me said that it would take 6 weeks to heal the stitches taht are outside they healed already but the ones I have inside still hurt a little when I touch I feel hard Is this normal besides that I haven´t had any check ups after my delivery How long do you think it will take to heal completely   thank you in advance for your help Answer morenovivas 1 434 11/26/07 1:48 am   shaving Question Do most women still shave their pubic area before giving birth Answer skkellerpifer 1 535 11/25/07 8:15 pm   transverse position Question I'm 34 weeks and the baby is still in transverse position   At what point should a c section be scheduled Answer skkellerpifer 1 403 11/25/07 8:14 pm   37 weeks sono Question just to let everybody know i went for my sono at 37 weeks and my little man is almost 7 pounds thank god i told my doctor how worried i was that i had to go for another sono that close to giving birth she felt really bad and said she didnt worry she just wanted to make sure so i guess i should have just ask her more questions and tell her how worreid i was before so ladys mu advise  ask ask ask lol m Answer mandy 1 446 11/24/07 5:01 pm   RE: ectopic pregnancy??? Question Thank You for your input I've just received my blood work from 21 DPO My HCG is now 310   but my progesterone has fallen slightly I'm in a wait and see pattern right now I still have no symptoms but now I know that symptoms won't be evident until it's dangerous I don't know what to do I told my nurse practitioner I wanted to wait and be sure that this is ectopic She told me that I won't be able to see anything on ultrasound until my HCG levels reach 1500 2000 I am going for more bloodwork on Monday What would you having your knowledge if you were in my place If I take the shot to get rid of the pregnancy will my tube be preserved Answer starrynights 1 402 11/24/07 2:27 pm   Constant Headache! Question I'm around 26 weeks along with my first child and I have had a pretty easy pregnancy until recently   I have had a persistent headache over the last 3 weeks sometimes the pain is so intense that I become sick at my stomach and begin to throw up   My last dr's visit I was also surprised to find that I had gained 15 pounds in only 4 weeks   I've had a pretty steady weight gain and didn't change my diet so it was a little concerning to see that I had gained so much weight in so little time   I started swelling in my legs and arms but I'm on my feet constantly moving for between 4 and 7 hours a day 6 days a week at work which is what I thought was causing the swelling   The dr has tried me on several different medications to help with the headaches but nothing seems to work   I'm not resting well at this point if I rest at all My blood pressure has been slightly elevated but not high I'm wondering if this could all be related or if I could just be having migraines   I had hormone related migraines before pregnancy And should I be concerned and if so do you have any suggestions thank you so much   Answer thefarjb 1 433 11/22/07 11:46 pm   Is this righ?? Question I just had my baby in sept the 16th I had my period for the rest of the month and pert of october Well i just got my period angain two weeks after i had gotten it Is it the birthcontrol that im taking or is there something wrong Answer angel 14252004@yahoo.com 1 397 11/23/07 4:01 am   Buttock Pinch?Pain Question Hello I am experiencing a pain (pinch) in my left buttock It feels centralized and it doesn't radiate I notice the pain pinches when I shift my weight off of my left leg to the right It's almost like the pressure of standing on my left side "squeezes" the pain out Tonight I was walking our dog when the pain "stabbed" me again After sitting down on the sidewalk bench for 10 minutes it decreased I am not sure what I did to cause this Do you have any suggestions on what is going on or how I can alleviate the pain Thank you kindly Ann Answer ann 1 433 11/23/07 2:00 am   ectopic pregnancy??? Question We had a positive pregnancy test 14 DPO Went for a blood test on 16 DPO and my hcg level was 109 Went for another hcg test on day 18 and my level was only 167   My Dr is concerned that this could be ectopic as I had my tubes retied in May I am also 41 I feel great have no pain cramping spotting or anything COuld there be a chance this is a normal pregnancy I am going back for another hcg test on day 21 Answer 1 387 11/22/07 8:19 pm   Same as poster below Question Braxton Hicks contractions I am 33 weeks and 4 days pregnant It seems like they last for hours No break in between plus yesterday my lower abdomen felt alot of pressure and pain (not excruciating pain but pain)  (along with the Braxton Hicks contraction that again lasted for a few hours and my pelvic bone is painful too What is going on Could it just be how the baby is positiioned in there Answer Lisa777 1 389 11/22/07 3:08 pm   tightening of belly Question Hi Cathy My LMP was 3/5/07 and IUI done on 3/17 and 3/18 so do you think that I should calculate the due date using 3/5 or 3/17 If based on 3/5 my due date will be 12/10 if based on IUI 3/17 the due date will be 12/8 any difference Anyway I am now at 37 weeks these 2 days I feel "tightening" of belly more often than usual In the past 2 weeks it happened 1 or 2 times a day / 2 days but these 2 days at least several times a day and lasts for more than 10 seconds each time And this morning within 3 hours I felt 2 times of lower abdomen pain(mild) last for 5 6 seconds each time Do you think that my labour is coming soon I mean in the foming few days or it is just normal at my stage when the belly "tightens" I can feel the pressure on my upper abdomen soemthing like "short of breath" This is my first pregnancy and I am 39 years of age my hospital is far from here so I want to know what are the sign of labour thanks a lot       Answer Jennifer 1 482 11/21/07 1:32 pm   lower abdomen pain while exercising Question I am currently 27 weeks and before and throughout my entire pregnancy I have walked between a mile and 2 miles every day or everyother day Here lately I have noticed a nagging pain in my lower right abdomen I guess aroudn where my ovaries should be I don't walk excessively hard and when the pain starts I slow down and it seems to go away but if I pick up the pace it comes again Also today I have seemed to have alot of while gelatim like discharge some coming in teh form of silver dollar sized clumps Is this normal thanks Answer anxiouslywaiting 1 405 11/20/07 5:09 pm   group b strep Question I went to the dr today and she said my test for group b strep was positive   She said it comes from your mom I guess meaning it is just in your genes   But what is odd is that I had one child already and I didn't have it with her   Does this lie dormant in your body   Or how is it possible to have it with one pregnancy and not the other    Is it dangerous for the baby   She just said they would give me antibiotics during labor Answer baby2 1 459 11/16/07 8:17 pm   reply Question I was just wondering   I have a lot of pain in my vaginal area   It feels like tearing   The doctor won't check if I am dialating   I feel like I am   She said I am experiencing round ligament pain   I don't feel that though   It feels like my vagina is being torn open   I am now 37 weeks   I had an apptmt  today   She just said the baby was very low   She had to feel way down when she felt where the baby was   She said the baby is head down    I have been having a lot of contractions   They take my breath away   They last like an hour then go away   I don't want to go to the hospital when I am having them   Cuz I know they will soon go away   But how will I know when it is really time   I am scared because my symptoms are dismissed as "oh they're normal"  That I will end up having the baby at home or in the car    what do you suggest or what do you think     Answer baby2 1 382 11/16/07 8:11 pm   Head Cold at 22 weeks pregnant Question Hello I am a bit confused about cold remedy options for myself at 22 weeks pregnant I was told that I could take Sudafed as my worst symptom is stuffiness and congestion I bought Sudafed PE and realized after taking a few doses that I should have bought straight Sudafed as the ingredients are different (Sudafed PE has phynelephedrine and the latter has pseudoephedrine ) Now I see that the normal Sudafed is kept behind the counter at the pharmacy No wonder I couldn't  find it What is the difference in the two Sudafeds on my baby Today I decided to buy normal saline nasal spray and have been using that continuously It doesn't help as much as the other medication but it's I'm sure safer Thank you again for your expertise and adivce   Ann Answer ann 1 390 11/17/07 12:04 am   Bleeding at 11 weeks Question Hi I am 10 weeks 5 days pregnant This is my 3rd pregnancy my first one went well I carried my son till 37 5 weeks and delivered a beautiful healthy baby boy My second one ended in miscarriage at 7 weeks (I started spotting a couple/few days before the actual miscarriage I went in for an ultrasound and there was a blood clot on part of the sac which meant that part was not able to attach to the uterine wall I was told I would either just pass the clot or the clot and the sac which is what happened) Now at 10 weeks 4 days (this started last night) I felt what I thought was discharge passing and when I went to the restroom I saw it was blood on my underpants (Not a lot but enough to make two spots and there was more bright red when I wiped enough to show well on the tissue) Since then when I wipe the blood is there VERY faint like the very start of a period (I did not have an ultrasound at 8 weeks I had a pelvic and was told everything seems fine and that an ultrasound was not deemed medically necessary at that time and there were new giudelines for unltrasounds at 8 weeks and what insurances will cover )  So  I called my midwife last night and she was kind told me to watch and see what happens That this could go either way She said if I bleed very heavy to call again and get to the ER otherwise I am to call the office first thing Monday a m and go in on Monday for an ultrasound My question to you is if you have any info /insight/suggestions you can share with me I am trying to think positive but this is all too familiar and I am afraid to get my hopes up I am needless to say very sad and confused I really thought we were okay this time I am just about 11 weeks pregnant and have been feeling very pregnant  Now I don't know what to think I don't know if the baby is even alive at this point   Also should I not lift my son who is 30 lbs Are there any restrictions that I should be aware of I hate to think how many people we told that I am pregnant this time and then having to face them and announce yet another miscarriage it feels so bad  Sorry this is so long but I needed to tell you what is going on so that you can share any thoughts you may have I do realize you cannot guarantee anything I am not asking for that Time will tell I know   Thank you  Rizzo  Answer Rizzo19 1 432 11/18/07 12:43 pm   One more questions Question Hi Cathy One more question regarding GBS When there is spotting or bleeding or the water bag breaks then I should go to the hospital immediately I am thinking if the nurse or doctor check the dilation they will insert their fingers into the birth canal to check it will this induce the GBS bacteria into the placenta and thus harm the babby Actually I was told to have the GBS one week ago I am rather confused as now I am having doctor appointment every week and my ob doctor check the dilation using his finger will this induce the virus into the cervix and cause harm to the baby I am concerned Thanks   Answer FirstTimeMom 1 400 11/19/07 3:54 pm   Advice Question Dear Cathy I am now at 37 weeks 2 days ago my doctor told me that my baby boy is alomst (not yet) 6 pounds Do you think that he is within the normal range I am very skinny I gained only 13 pounds in total for the whole pregnancy What else can I do to increase imy  weight and also my baby's weight I have gestational diabetes (control my diet only no medication is needed) I heard that I can eat yogart to put on weight would you suggest that Hence I want to breastfeed my baby do you think that my blood glucose in milk can harm the baby if I don't control my diet after delivery do I still need to control my diet after delivery for how long Will my baby's blood sugar checked after he is born in the hospital Hence I have GBS I read thr some of the articles in the web Some said that if the water bag breaks or spotting or bleeding we should go the hospital immediately we should NOT take a shower as it will spread the GBS to the uterus and harm the baby However some articles said we may take a shower and even wash our hair before going to the hospital What is your opinions Thanks   Answer FirstTimeMom 1 378 11/19/07 3:27 pm   constipation Question I am 5 1/2 months pregnant and noticing a major decrease in the amount of bowel movement I have   I eat lots of fruit drink plenty of water and healthy foods   I still have a BM everyday but not very much output   Should I try Milk of Magnesia because I cannot tolerate psyllium   I am worried there is lot stuck inside of me   Does the waste just take longer to digest or am I absorbing more nutrients from food for the baby   What treatments would you recommend Answer kim 1 427 11/18/07 7:46 pm   dropping Question Hi This is my first baby and her due date is Dec 10   She dropped into position 6 weeks before her due date  I allready expected her a week before her due date even before she dropped though Does her dropping so soon up her due date any more  Thanks Answer krbrjo 1 416 11/17/07 9:12 pm   Effacement Question I'm 36 weeks today   Sure you don't remember when I talked to you last but I told you I have lupus and the antiphospholipid antibodies   Yesterday the doctor performed an examination and said that my cervex was very thin   She told me if my water broke to go on to the hospital   She is very attentive with my problems   I'm wondering Can you just suddenly have your water to break can you dialate really fast or what may be possible   I enjoy site   Thank you Corky Answer Corky 1 386 11/16/07 7:54 pm   Sex after D&C Question I was just wondering if it’s safe to have sex three weeks after a d&c  I had my post op appointment on 11/13 and my doctor said all is fine  She also said that we are in the clear to have sex but I wanted your opinion first  I’m a little nervous As always thank you so much   Answer Hopeful88 1 430 11/16/07 1:17 pm   due dates Question is it true that on a 9th full moon after you conceived your child that you will give birth to your child on or before tthat full moon on the calender Answer mom2be 1 441 11/15/07 10:19 pm Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 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