Weekly Pregnancy Chatter/Q's 11/21

thatcma

What's on your mind this week?

kghusker1003

My first appointment is this morning and I am a nervous wreck.

thatcma

@kghusker1003 just try to remain calm, easier said than done I know. I am sure I will be in your shoes in 1 week. *hugs!*

When do you start stocking up on diapers, and how much? My DH brought it up, to my surprise, yesterday and thought maybe we should be getting good deals now.

BarefootandPurple

@kghusker1003 I am too,  and was my last pregnancy. Just remember to take deep breaths! More likely than not you have a healthy little peanut!  I still vividly remember hearing that first heartbeat 5 years and how I cried with happiness. It's magical. 

@osucma if you see awesome deals - go for it! Also remember you may be given a lot of diapers. First pregnancy,  we did a game at our baby shower - the more diapers one brought the more times they can put their name in the prize raffle. We got so many we didn't have to buy diapers for two years. For real. 

Trying to follow my own advice and take deep breaths. Last pregnancy they let us come in at 6 weeks,  this time they were so booked I couldn't get in until my 9th week. Just feels so long from now, and it's hard not to let nerves and worries get the best of me. I need patience vibes friends! 

kat0607

I have a question for any STM on here, or anyone with info: how common is it to develop a food allergy or something like lactose intolerance during pregnancy? Has anyone here experienced it? I did some research but everything I read says that pregnancy can sometimes help to improve things like that, not cause them. I don't currently have any known food allergies or intolerance, Im just curious if anyone has had any experience with that. 

LuLiLaEv

@osucma If you're having a shower or diaper party you may not need to! With my first DHs work threw him a diaper party and we didn't have to buy diapers until after she turned 1 we got so many!!! 
But if you don't think you'll be getting a lot, I would buy size 2-4 since those are *probably* (just depends on your baby) the sizes you'll be in the longest. Whatever you do don't buy newborns. The hospital sent us home with more than we could use!

Do any STMs have a recommendation for a double stroller? DD will be not quite 2 when new baby comes and I can't decide between sit and stand, side by side, tandem?! I don't know! But there's a good likelihood DH will be deployed when baby is due/right after so I'm going to be by myself with 2 under 2. I NEED a good stroller!!

thatcma

@barefootandpurple thanks! Also the wait is tough. I scheduled my visit 5 weeks before they could get me in. It's so hard to not panic in that time frame because you just aren't sure. *hugs* stay strong!

hqinmd

@osucma don't get a lot of newborn diapers (or newborn size clothes for that matter). Many babies aren't in that size for long. 
@LuLiLaEv I love my City Mini GT double. (And single for that matter.)

thatcma

@lulilaev and @hqinmd thanks! My husband is hoping our roommate/guardian of our child will throw a diaper party for him. I'll let him know that we should hold off for now

longhairdntcare

LuLiLaEv not a STM but I have three sisters and 6 nieces/nephews. My sister recommended the City Select, but it isn't cheap. 

Shaq1009

@LuLiLaEv - we have the city select and while it is $$$ it has been worth every single penny.  Cannot say enough good things about that stroller.  We tried a couple of other cheaper options before we bought that one and it was night and day.  So good. 

satsumasandlemons

I only have a city select single but I love that stroller. It may not be as fancy as a bugaboo or uppa, but it still is our work horse. 

Dcwtada

I bought the Graco double stroller since I had Irish twins and it allowed my daughter to sit in forward like a regular stroller and then the car seat clicked right in the back facing me so I could keep an eye on the boy - plus then it worked with my other stroller and all the car seat bases. It was perfect when he was little. This spring I bought just a side by side umbrella stroller since my son was sitting up and they could both face forward. I loved it because it is SO light, easy to fold and simple. It's tough to push on grass or gravel but we almost always are on the side walk, paved road or shopping and it is no problem. 

MrsN092714

Has anyone had the materniT21 testing done before?   Can it tell you fetal blood type?

stokesm21

How I still have so much sh!t to do before the baby comes.  We recently built our first home, as in DIY.  The trim in all the bedrooms and closets still need to be painted.  Some caulking here and there, paint touch ups pretty much everywhere... Staircase needs to be stained and sealed 100% before any kids enter this house LOL!  *sigh*  Brand new house and yet the work is never done.  

I bought a mask to protect me from particles and fumes (DH hates painting) but I just have no motivation. 

hqinmd

@stokesm21 for DD2, we finished painting her room the week I was due. DH stayed home with DD1 at night while I was in the hospital after my C-section and finished up the trim and doors. 

ladipale

@LuLiLaEv - love my Double BOB. 
@osucma - i wouldn't buy a ton of diapers. the hospital sends you home with some and every baby is different in terms of what type of diaper fits best.. i would maybe have a few packages of nb diapers on hand but not start stocking up.
@kat0607 - i developed allergies after my first child was born. still not sure what it was to, likely a sunscreen or lotion. 

MrsN092714

@cait32 I just bought a city select jogger which has the option of adding a second seat and 16 different positions/ attachments.  I didn't use my stroller with my first hardly at all.  I found baby wearing to be much more convenient but with 2 under 2 I think I will need something I can stick them both into.  City select is relaseing the 2017 baby jogger model in may and it's  supposed to be upgraded...

chiquita928

osucma said:

When do you start stocking up on diapers, and how much? My DH brought it up, to my surprise, yesterday and thought maybe we should be getting good deals now.

If you have the space, wait for the good deals. if you Google stock up diaper price, there are a bunch of couponing websites that give you deal ideas. find one that does your normal store. I go to Shoprite and Target, so I use livingrichwithcoupons.com but there are others. generally, 10 cents per diaper for the littler sizes is a good deal. If you see something for less, grab it! It's a little more for the bigger sizes. you don't know how big of a LO you'll have, so you may end up getting too much of a size. as long as you don't open a box, though, most stores will let you exchange for the next size up. also you will probably get diapers at your shower. so I'd say get some of you see a good price and have room to store them... otherwise don't stress.  on another note lucies list is a great realistic website. I liked her down to earth advice and reviews.

chiquita928

DS will be 4 when this LO is born. I'm torn with getting a sit and stand stroller or just being like, "You're 4. Walk."

ladipale

@chiquita928 - I'd go with "you're 4, walk" with a side of "here - stand on this board" - they make board attachments for most strollers so bigger kid can stand on it and hold stroller handle and 'ride'

chiquita928

@ladipale Yeah that's pretty much what I was leaning towards. I'll have to look into that ride on thing.

SaphireSweetie88

I have 2 appointments tomorrow morning. I have my nurse's appointment and then I have my ultrasound after that. I am excited and nervous and really hoping that everything is fine and there's nothing wrong.

@osucma - I agree with pp. If its an awesome deal get it. That's what I am thinking I will do (haven't seen any super awesome deals yet though) and then I will buy what sizes I still need after the baby shower since I will probably get a bunch then too.

kat0607

With all this talk about stocking up on diapers, is there anyone out there considering cloth diapering? Or have you tried it before? 

Creedon778

LuLiLaEv said:

@osucma If you're having a shower or diaper party you may not need to! With my first DHs work threw him a diaper party and we didn't have to buy diapers until after she turned 1 we got so many!!! 
But if you don't think you'll be getting a lot, I would buy size 2-4 since those are *probably* (just depends on your baby) the sizes you'll be in the longest. Whatever you do don't buy newborns. The hospital sent us home with more than we could use!

Do any STMs have a recommendation for a double stroller? DD will be not quite 2 when new baby comes and I can't decide between sit and stand, side by side, tandem?! I don't know! But there's a good likelihood DH will be deployed when baby is due/right after so I'm going to be by myself with 2 under 2. I NEED a good stroller!!

We had gotten a great deal on a used (but never used) bob double when our second was born but never really used it bc our oldest never wanted to sit in it. We got an attachment to our single bob stroller so he could stand he used that all the time.

thatcma

@cait32 we do have a roommate! Long story short he finished college in Oklahoma (we have all known each other for 10 years) and wanted to move back to Ohio but not back to his "home" because there were no job opportunities so he moved in with us in Columbus. He has been paying a decent chunk of rent which has helped us pay off bills. He now knows we are pregnant and plans on moving out in the spring. He is going to be our child's guardian (we are not religious so not godfather)

thatcma

Also thank you literally everyone on the diaper input

@kat0607 I have considered it and honestly I am think I am too grossed out to deal with cleaning them. It's one thing to change/throw out and other to deal with putting it in the toilet and then cleaning that diaper. Just IMO

LimeKrazy

@kat0607 @Cait32 I did cloth for our twins and plan on doing cloth again for this one.  

mamadcb

@kat0607 I do cloth too and plan to for #2. It's not too gross! When baby is pooping at lot at first they are nice breast milk poops that don't even smell bad. Then as they start eating solids the poops do get more solid/smelly but they happen much less frequently (and even with disposables you have to deal with them!). I am willing to wash one poopy diaper per day in exchange for all the savings of not having to buy disposables. I do also feel better about it environmentally, of course, but cost was our main motivator. I don't know all of the diapering options out there but I'd be happy to share what we do if you're interested in more information!

goldbangle

@cait32 I have the Phil & Ted's Navigator stroller - it's a single and you can get a doubles kit that adds a seat under the main seat.  I love that it's not double wide, and it's so easy to push and manuever.  My kids are 6 and 3 now and they still use it - they both can sit in the bottom seat even though they are technically over the weight and height limits for it!  If you have a Buy Buy Baby in your town they are very knowledgeable and you can try all kinds of strollers.  Also, my sister just bought the Baby Jogger City Select so she can have a double eventually if she needs/wants.  It's a little more expensive, but great quality!

@kat0607 We used cloth diapers for our first, but when the second came along it was too overwhelming to have cloth for both.  I work full time and felt like I was spending every moment at home washing diapers.  It seems like a very confusing system and there are lots of options.  I did tons of research and am happy to answer questions!

kinge16

New here, so Hi! just found out we are pregnant with our second, but still really early. 

caribbeanmama-2

@kat0607 I cloth diapered with Baby1 until he was 15 months old.  There is a cloth diapering board and lots of YouTube videos to get you started.  You should do a bit of research before you start buying stuff because there are just so many options.  I did not cloth diaper for the first week  - we let the meconium pass first.  My baby has super sensitive skin and was super fussy so cloth diapers were perfect for His Highness!  We never had a diaper rash - not once with cloth diapers!  I also make my own baby wipes and baby lotion.  He's got quite the pampered bottom.  If you are going to be sending baby to daycare or have a nanny - this choice may be prohibitive to some.  We had a nanny or two that really weren't up for the task when there was poop.  We washed diapers every day - the ammonia will buildup otherwise and then you have to strip the diapers.  It's easy once you have made your choice and have the system in place. Feel free to ask me questions.

The double stroller dilemma... The side by side ones look huge!  The stacked ones seem more manageable.  We have 3 strollers already.  I really don't want to buy another one so I think I will need to wear one baby and push the other.  But I have the city select in mind if that strategy doesn't work.  I will have 2 under 2 for a hot minute.

kinge16

@caribbeanmama I will say my 2 yr old will almost never sit in a stroller. Everything is "i can do it myself". Maybe this will change with a little one around. But we haven't used a stroller in at least 6 months. Also, every kid is different, mine just may be especially opinionated and independent (ughhh)

hqinmd

@caribbeanmama the double city mini side-by-sides generally fit through a doorway and I'm told that they are quite a bit easier to steer than the in-line doubles. But I never had an in-line double so I'm going off what I've heard there. My side-by-side is light and easy to maneuver. 

RunRestRepeat

@stokesm21 I hear you on the painting! We bought our house in the spring and painted EVERY room, but then got distracted by summer and never did the trim. That will be our project this fall, if I can get motivated. Did you buy a particular mask, or just a dust mask?

@kat0607 This will be my first, but I'm interested in cloth diapering as well. I plan on checking TB board, plus another bumpie in my area suggested a few local cloth diapering groups in my city that I'll probably join once I'm ready to announce. Plus, they even make a toilet sprayer attachment now so you can spray down dirty dipes right into the toilet - so grateful for technology that makes life easier and allows us to parent how we see fit!

caribbeanmama-2

@RunRestRepeat on the sprayer attachment: how well it works depends on the kind of poop you are dealing with.  Also, since it is a sprayer - particles aren't all going into the toilet bowl.  This may or may not bother you.  Some people flush with the lid open for example....  Just something to think about.  We have one but I never use it - I use a paper towel for scoopable solids (not until baby starts eating solids) and soak the diaper for a few hours before washing.  I exclusively breastfed and breastmilk poop is water soluble so it just dissolves away.  I feel like I can control where the poop goes better that way.

Also, no guilt allowed for using disposables when baby has diarrhea or when traveling. It.is.ok. 

mamadcb

@caribbeanmama I am a poop scooper as well! I find it much simpler (and less messy) than the sprayer. 

Bottom line: if you are interested in cloth diapering, there are so many variations on the process that you can make it work for you! 

stokesm21

RunRestRepeat said:

@stokesm21 I hear you on the painting! We bought our house in the spring and painted EVERY room, but then got distracted by summer and never did the trim. That will be our project this fall, if I can get motivated. Did you buy a particular mask, or just a dust mask?

You should get one that protects from odours as well as I've read you shouldn't paint while pregnant period.  I got the N95.  Lots of the N95's just cover particles but the one I got specifically said odours.  Picked mine up at Home Depot, it was about $8.  (CAD)

RunRestRepeat

Thanks, @stokesm21! I was going off my ob's website faq - they say as long as it is latex paint (not oil) and a very well ventilated area, you should be ok. I'll take a look at the mask, and probably will ask about it when I go in Dec. 19. Lord knows I probably won't find the motivation to paint before then anyway!

WorkinWeezel

Has anyone on here ever gotten pregnant in less than a year after a leep procedure?  I had one in late January and here I am, almost 8 weeks pregnant.  Had my OB appt today and there is some spotting/bleeding (had some Saturday and then when she did my PAP) and she said it's because things are still healing.  I guess I'm just concerned because someone was all up in there messing with my cervix about 10 months ago and here I am pregnant; not ideal, but hoping things will be ok.  Please share any stories, and thanks!

knit-sew-mama

Thanks for those of you sharing about cloth diapering. DH and I are definitely interested for cost and environmental reasons. Plus we've heard you get less diaper rash often. I think I'm going to use disposables during the newborn phase those.

I've done some research. Those who do cloth diaper already or have in the past do you have type preference and why? I'd love some more opinions.