Pregnancy Chatter & Randoms 9/26

kat81

Dump random questions in here. (Can we combine "pregnancy chatter" and "weekly randoms?")

I have a question. I bought sea bands for nausea relief; I had these in the past but couldn't find them. The ones I got are adjustable, which is great. The old ones I had before were just an elastic band that was kind of too loose for my tiny wrists.

Anyhow, I didn't open the package until I desperately needed them. Unfortunately I discovered they smelled really bad! (Maybe not so bad, but bad for someone with a sensitive nose!) Does anyone have any tips for how to air out something that smells? I want to be able to use them, but right now the smell completely defeats the purpose.

bacorrea

Could you wipe them down with glass cleaner? I have these wipes to clean my glasses and that might help? Then maybe use some scented Bath & Body Works Hand Santizer? I find that those smells stick to anything. 

bacorrea

My first appointment is October 25. The nurse said they may do an US or may just listen to the heartbeat. Twins run in my family and I just really want to know if I only have one baby in here! 

vrj0522

Maybe leave them outside for a day? 

Squirtgun

Baking soda/lemon rinse? 

tumbleweed-1

@bacorrea, how likely is it that both heartbeats will be picked up without an ultrasound? I've heard of a lot of parents being surprised later in the pregnancy! I hope you can find out soon if you have twins or one baby. 

I know I still have plenty of time to worry about this, but what do we do about summer and newborns? My SO and I are both fair skinned, so this baby will probably burn when we get long sunny days. I've heard that newborns can't use sunblock, but won't they be too hot going outside in long sleeves and hats? Do you just not go outside much for one year? Has anyone had a summer baby before? 

Yiggle09

@tumbleweed my cousin had a memorial day baby and bought a pop up tent to put baby in brought him to the beach many times. There are very breathable hats for summer infants and then the long sleeve if your going to sit outside would be necessary yes. But sunlight is good for little babies- My other cousin had to put their lo in the sun for at least 15 mins a day in the beginning i think because of bilirubin. 

achays11

@bacorrea my first appointment is tomorrow and twins run in my family as well. I will be 5+4 tomorrow, by my calculations. I hope that's not too early to tell. 

pshaortao

@tumbleweed DD was a Sept baby but we stayed in a lot. When we did go out, it was always in the evenings when it was cooler and no sun. If we did go out in the afternoon, we just put a very light blanket on top of her carseat/stroller to keep the sun off her. It's not recommended to use sunscreen until they're at least 6 months old. I looked up your past replies and saw that you're in Portland area. Maybe I'm wrong but I imagine that summertime there is comfortable for the most part? 

Jkp7749

DD was a july baby. We also stayed in more than usual. When we went out we would stay in the shade, dress her in the little tank top onesies, used the hats etc. We did play in the pool a few times and would dip her legs in the baby pool if we were home. We would walk early in the morning to get some fresh air and I've seen little fans that you can attach to the stroller.


my appointment is Wednesday and I'm so anxious I don't know how I'll keep my mind off of it until then. Time is passing soooo slowly. I have been nauseous but today it has subsided and ravenous hunger has taken it's place. I already had steak and roasted potatoes, a little personal pizza, and some muffins. My stomach is burning I'm so hungry.

tumbleweed-1

@pshaortao Its comfortable for the most part, yeah. We do get some heat waves, and an urban heat island effect from the concrete/roads. Since most of the year is so mild, when it gets above 90, Oregonians melt. Haha.

I know that 90 is nothing compared to other parts of the country. I was in so cal in June and it was too hot for me. Then in August I drove to Phoenix, AZ with my sister to help her move. That was worse. Comfortable is relative, I guess. 

Most of our buildings don't have AC either. I live on a ground floor, old building without window screens so I don't feel comfortable leaving my windows open at night to cool the place off. One of my neighbors had someone open their window and rob them. Luckily ours were locked! We plan to move in Nov, so now that we are expecting we have a slightly different criteria for a new place. 

bacorrea

@tumbleweed I'm not sure! It's in my file so I'm hoping they just do an US. Ha. I will bring it up with my doctor though. 

Also DD is an April baby and she was born in Texas. We didn't do a lot outside (triple digits no thank you) but hats, light clothing, shade all help. My stroller also had UV material I think? So when we went on walks I wasn't worried. I'm not really an outside person though.

@achays11 good luck!! If they do a US they would see to sacs I think. That could tell them if it is twins. With DD I had a transvaginal US at like 6.5 weeks and we saw only her! Haha I made sure they said one baby. 

chickyclg

@bacorrea @achays11  Good luck to y'all, We were able to see and hear both of my twins' heartbeats by 6w5d.

  

chickyclg

Random: One of my twins just climbed out of the crib and destroy their room before getting stuck.  Seriously kid, I was really counting on nap time today.

Kipperoo

On the subject of summer babies--just make sure whatever you are using as a sun blocker (tent/hat/whatever) has SPF! A friend of mine last summer had her baby under a sun tent at the beach and it got totally fried because the tent did not have any built in sun protection so the rays permeated the fabric. 

I know it's not a baby bump because it's way too early, but this bloat, man! I think I'm going to have to start using a belly band or pant extender in the next few days, which is WAYYY earlier than with my first. 

Jens_Hoes

Any advice for a nervous first time mom? I struggled to get pregnant, and now all I can do is worry about bad symptoms (cramping) or lack of symptoms and that it means I'm miscarrying.  I'm an anxious person to begin with... I have to wait until next Friday for my U/S.

Yiggle09

@Jenshoes My MD said just because your pregnant doesn't mean you have to be miserable or sick because this time around Im really not having many symptoms and I was nervous I wasn't pregnant still when I went in over a week ago. After that first US you'll feel much better. I am a total anxious thinks something is wrong all the time person too so I completely understand. Just try to not think about it take big breaths and be patient if you can

Kipperoo

Jenshoes , my only advice would be to embrace the ambiguity/unknown. Pregnancy is such a big ball of constant uncertainty, but I honestly think it helps prepare you for the different but very real uncertainty and anxiety that is having a child. There really isn't much you can do but wait and enjoy the fact that you are currently pregnant. 

Jens_Hoes

Thanks @Yiggle09 & @Kipperoo
Hoping the u/s on the 7th will help decrease the anxiety a bit.

hp_momma

@Jenshoes This is baby #3 for me and my current lack of symptoms still makes me nervous! Until you hear the first heartbeat or see them moving around on the ultrasound, it doesn't seem real and I think that's where part of the uncertainty is from. The first trimester is the longest stretch between appointments and I think that's what makes it the hardest. Before you know it you'll b going every 4 weeks, 2 weeks, and then weekly! Hang in there! 

pshaortao

@Jenshoes My only symptom when I was pregnant with DD was fatique and that didn't start until around 8 weeks that I can remember. I still got anxious though and still do now. I have had cramping, but not bad ones, at 6 weeks. I imagine its my uterus adjusting for the growing baby. Staying hydrated seem to help a little. Until your u/s, try to relax and enjoy the lack of symptoms. Easier said than done, I know.

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot

@Kipperoo I'm rocking the hairband on my jeans today. I think it will be a wardrobe staple until I dig out my bellybands.

@Jenshoes Enjoy the lack of symptoms.  I had a mostly symptom-free first trimester with DD. Everything was fine.  This time around, I feel like I have motion sickness every afternoon.  Oh, and I suddenly have an aversion to iced mochas, which are normally my favorite drink and favorite part of every morning.  This kid....

thistlenweeds

Has anyone tried using home dopplers? I'm considering getting one (because i'm paranoid, obviously).

Jens_Hoes

h&p_momma  @pshaortao @NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot Good to know I'm not alone here- I told DH about my current anxiety and he looked at me like I just shot someone... Gonna try to just relax over here lol

waitingforblueskies

Joining on the anxiety train ** TW ** It has only been a month and 8 days since my miscarriage...so every cramp reminds me of then and every bit of CF makes me panic. I am not sure how to get through this anxiety. I called my doctor today and the nurse scheduled me for an appt to sit down and talk with my doctor on October 11th, but said I probably won't have an ultrasound until 12 weeks (so mid November). I hate that I have to wait so long. 

pshaortao

Random: We got Hello Fresh for this week and I forgot how good it is. It's our second time and we liked it more than Blue Apron. It's challenging though trying to prep everything with a 2 yr old that wants to "help". Tonight she got her hand on the raw meat before I could stop her, helped scoop and move the chopped onion only to be in tears from those stinging tears, and trying to sneak bites of the chopped tomato. Tonight's meal turned out to be pretty good, that even she ate all of hers. Winning!

RainyDays86

@Jenshoes and @waitingforblueskies I'm with you on the anxiety.  There are a couple of things that help me:

1) Remind yourself daily "today I am pregnant."  There is truly nothing you can do if something is going to go wrong and reminding yourself that right now, at this moment, you're pregnant, helps just a bit.

2) On my original BMB someone posted this link: https://spacefem.com/pregnant/mc.php?m=08&d=10&y=12 which gives the odds of miscarriage at each day of pregnancy.  It isn't exact data (i.e. no one has actually calculated the odds of miscarriage at 5 weeks 3 days as opposed to 5 weeks 4 days, instead the owner of the webpage looked at odds of miscarriage at I think 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks and then plotted it on a line).  However, it helps me a bit with my anxiety to see the odds decrease each day.  I look at it each morning as part of my morning routine. 

Squirtgun

@tumbleweed neither of my littles were summer babies, but technically you're not supposed to use sunscreen for 6 mo, so they still had a bit of summertime overlap. We got a huge beach umbrella and set it up in the yard, and that worked REALLY well for us! 

hp_momma

waitingforblueskies said:

Joining on the anxiety train ** TW ** It has only been a month and 8 days since my miscarriage...so every cramp reminds me of then and every bit of CF makes me panic. I am not sure how to get through this anxiety. I called my doctor today and the nurse scheduled me for an appt to sit down and talk with my doctor on October 11th, but said I probably won't have an ultrasound until 12 weeks (so mid November). I hate that I have to wait so long. 

I'm with you on the late ultrasound anxiety. Mine isn't schedule until October 24th (I'll be 10 weeks at that point) and it seems like FOREVER away! 

chickyclg

@contrarationem Last pregnancy I had a Sonoline B and I loved it, but you can't hear anything on it until at least 10 weeks.  It really put my mind at ease since we were told that one of my twins was a probable vanishing twin due to slow growth early on.  Not to mention when I felt like I didn't feel a baby move I could always just pull it out and listen no problem.  I gave mine to DH's cousin to use 2 days before I got my BFP so I am debating buying a new one or waiting and seeing if she tosses it back my way.

tumbleweed-1

New random! Has anyone played around on this "eye color predictor"? For STMs, were you surprised by your children's eye colors? I know this thing isn't exact, and doesn't include all colors (like hazel), but it's fun for wasting time online.https://genetics.thetech.org/online-exhibits/what-color-eyes-will-your-children-have

SP128

@jenshoes I am so with you on the anxiety.  I'm usually a very cautious person to begin with but the anxiety of the unknown has prevented me from being too excited.... I do like everyone's advice though of just enjoying not having a lot of symptoms.  When we were TTC I thought jet lag symptoms were symptoms of early pregnancy!

@RainyDays86  I put that website in my favorites and I look at it daily.  Even though it's not exact, I like having something concrete to look at.

I have my first appointment on Thursday .  Only with the nurse practitioner though.  No ultrasound.  I'll be 7 weeks.  I just want that ultrasound.  Ok, I'll stop whining about the ultrasound now, but still

hp_momma

tumbleweed said:

New random! Has anyone played around on this "eye color predictor"? For STMs, were you surprised by your children's eye colors? I know this thing isn't exact, and doesn't include all colors (like hazel), but it's fun for wasting time online.https://genetics.thetech.org/online-exhibits/what-color-eyes-will-your-children-have

DD1 - brown hair, hazel eyes (like me) 
DD2 - blonde hair, blue eyes (like my husband) 
This baby will be our tie breaker! I'm so curious to see what he/she has! 

chickyclg

tumbleweed said:

New random! Has anyone played around on this "eye color predictor"? For STMs, were you surprised by your children's eye colors? I know this thing isn't exact, and doesn't include all colors (like hazel), but it's fun for wasting time online.https://genetics.thetech.org/online-exhibits/what-color-eyes-will-your-children-have

@tumbleweed this is interesting! I didn't do it before but it was correct for my kids, but one of my twins has blue eyes and the other has brown.  You typically won't see hazel listed a lot of times though because a lot of researchers believe it is a mutation in the blue and green eye gene and the darker pigment is put off by the liver or something like that.  I was researching hazel eyes a while back and thought it was incredibly interesting. 

tumbleweed-1

That is interesting. My parents and I all have brown hair/hazel eyes. I have a blonde/blue eyed sibling though. My SO has blue eyes like his dad, his mom has green eyes. Both of his parents are blonde and they were shocked when he was born with red hair. His paternal grandma has red hair, and half of his cousins on that side. 

Jens_Hoes

@waitingforblueskies check out the link @RainyDays86 posted, I just checked it out and I actually feel a lot better. 
I'm definitely a numbers and facts type of person, so seeing that was very helpful. Thank you

waitingforblueskies

@Jenshoes and @RainyDays86 That does make me feel a lot better. I bookmarked it and will probably look at it daily. Thanks.

achays11

As far as eyes go, my dad had almost black looking eyes and my mom had brown. I have blue/green eyes, they change depending on what I wear. MH has blue eyes, so there is no way our kids will have dark eyes. DD has blue too. 

Kipperoo

I have brown eyes (as do both of my parents) and my husband has blue (as do both of his parents), and our 2 year old son had blue eyes at birth that are currently a really pretty grey color. My sister has the same grey colored eyes--I'm hoping my son's stay this way, but they may flip to brown.  

christinaleejo

So much to vent about! Lol

This is my 3rd baby. With my second I was HUGE at 12 weeks. I already have to use a button expander on my jeans and ordered some maternity pants. My SO wants to wait until we have a confirmed heartbeat to tell anyone. My midwife doesn't do an ultrasound until the 2nd appointment which would be at 12 weeks. I don't know if I'll be able to hide this until then!!

I also have a tilted uterus.. With my other pregnancies they weren't able to hear a heartbeat with a Doppler until 12 weeks.. I wonder if I could use my silly uterus as an excuse for an u/s at my 1st appointment?



Finally, holy NIGHT sickness!! I'm pretty good during the day but the second I lay down, I'm miserable. I want to cry all night. I can't get comfortable and I constantly am either crampy or nauseous or gassy or have to pee. I'm so tired!!! I bought a wedge pillow yesterday so my head will stay elevated, which helped with my indigestion but nothing else. SO has been amazingly understanding but I still feel bad that I'm so miserable this time around.

pshaortao

tumbleweed said:

New random! Has anyone played around on this "eye color predictor"? For STMs, were you surprised by your children's eye colors? I know this thing isn't exact, and doesn't include all colors (like hazel), but it's fun for wasting time online.https://genetics.thetech.org/online-exhibits/what-color-eyes-will-your-children-have

Ha how fun! I started to play with this but realized it's hard to get a real answer. DH has brown eyes but his parents both have blue, however his father is not his biological father. Three of his half siblings have blue or green. So putting down his siblings eye colors kind of messed up the probability. DD's eyes are brown just like DH. I do hope that LO2 will get blue or hazel eyes though, since my dad and I have hazel, and his mother has blue. Only time will tell, obviously.