FTM Check-in: Week of 6/19

jacksonbears

How far along are you? 

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

Cravings?

Rants/Raves?

Questions for FTM, STM+?

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? 

jacksonbears

How far along are you? 31 weeks and 4 days

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Tomorrow, regular 32 week checkup

Cravings? Ice cream and chocolate! Got a delicious chocolate milk shake yesterday, put me to sleep right after...

Rants/Raves? My birthday was yesterday, every few years it lands on father's day. My husband keeps joking that now he stole my birthday weekend with fathers day, haha...its okay, our baby girl's likely take his birthday away, his bday is 5 days from her due date.

Questions for FTM, STM+? When's the best time to shop for nursing bras? 

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? I always put goya seasoning in whatever i'm cooking. Not too much, just a little, it has a great taste! 

update: grammar 

bumpybump

@jacksonbears if you can wait until your milk comes in, that's ideal. But that's not always realistic. So as close to having the baby as possible and get one that has some "room" for when your milk does come in. Maybe even buy just one until after LO is here. 

DeansGirl14

How far along are you? 33+4

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? last week, went well, needed a growth check ultrasound. She's at 47th percentile. 

Cravings? Just ice cream. That can be pregnancy related or just summer related; I've always had a sweet tooth. 

Rants/Raves? Just fed up with not being able to eat normally lest I get the bile back-up / pukey feeling. Sitting all day for work (regardless of standing/walking breaks) is getting pretty uncomfortable too. 

Questions for FTM, STM+? Not that I can think of right now. 

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it?  I'm no home chef- my ingredient for anything that needs extra flavor is just basic seasoning salt. DH puts HP sauce on everything of his. 

littlebug2010

How far along are you?  33 weeks tomorrow 

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Had an US on Friday, to check size.  Found out that he is measuring right on track, and that he is head down! 

Cravings? Ice Cream!  I bought a box of fudge popsicles.  I love them, and they are only 40 calories a pop, so I can eat two if I really want!  I did have a fantastic strawberry milk shake last night too. 

Rants/Raves? I am getting my maternity photos done Friday night!  I cant wait.  DH had a great almost a father fathers day yesterday too.  It was SUPER hot out, so we went to the waterfront, and played Pokemon-go (his favorite), and ate ice cream and people watched.  We also ate at his favorite burger joint.  Nothing too special, but it was a lot of fun!  On Saturday, we had our childbirth class, and it was really great.  It was taught by a nurse who works on L&D at the hospital.  She talked to us a lot about all the things that our hospital does, and what might be different or similar to things we might have read.  Dh and I found that the whole thing made us feel very zen about the whole process. 

Questions for FTM, STM+? none at the moment.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it?  I dont really cook, but I bake.  In some of my cookies, I substitute crisco for butter.  I also always put in way more vanilla than the recipe calls for.  

Edit to add:  
@jacksonbears Happy Birthday! 

Kathryn0903

How far along are you? 
33 weeks 5 days

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

2 ultrasounds this week plus an appointment with the doctor. I have mild preeclampsia and the doctor told me last week that he'll probably have me deliver at 37 weeks. That's just over 3 weeks away!

Cravings?

Biggest pregnancy craving is still donuts!

Rants/Raves?

Had my shower this Saturday! So many good gifts! Spent Sunday buying the rest of what we needed. I think we have everything we need and are ready if baby comes early.

Questions for FTM, STM+?
I think I know the answer, but if a piece of clothing says 6 months, is that 3-6? Similarly, is 3 months really 0-3 months? I'm going to be washing clothes soon and want to organize based on size.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? 
Not really. I usually go exactly by the recipe. 

Mango517

How far along are you?
30 W 1D

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

Tuesday. I'm preparing my food diary and blood sugar readings in an easy to read format to go along with my list of questions.

Cravings?
Mostly just ice water since my house doesn't have central air.

Rants/Raves?
Rant on myself. I was really gung-ho about using cloth diapers before but now I just don't have it in me. There is just too much else going on. Maybe I'll transition into using them later on? I feel guilty for not using them but my enthusiasm level for CD is currently hovering at about 0.

Questions for FTM, STM+?
Did you all monitor your registry? Our invites went out and with over a month to go I'm worried that I went too light on the registry.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? 

Sea salt. Everything needs at least a touch of sea salt.

Mango517

Kathryn0903 said:

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

2 ultrasounds this week plus an appointment with the doctor. I have mild preeclampsia and the doctor told me last week that he'll probably have me deliver at 37 weeks. That's just over 3 weeks away!


STUCK IN A BOX
I'm so sorry about the preeclampsia, but better they keep a close eye on you now! and possibly 3 weeks away!!! Holy moly.

Kathryn0903

@Mango517 I was monitoring my registry, but most people didn't buy off my registry. Those that did wanted till the week of. I got a lot of clothes and gift cards, so that was good.

SouthernMama15

@Mango517 I did, simply because I had 3 showers (work, my side, DHs side) and I wanted to make sure there was still a range of prices on there. Nothing frustates me like going to purchase something off a registry and there are only big ticket items or a bunch of random small things left. Also, I was ordering my SILs baby gift over the weekend and a lot of things were discontinued or out of stock.

BlackNYellow

How far along are you? 30 + 2 

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Last OB appt was last week and some of my concerns were brushed off. I might switch practices after this baby is born.

Cravings? Aladdin's (the Lebanese chain) 

Rants/Raves? My office is flooded today yet we are still working : / 

Questions for FTM, STM+? Are there any good newborn or parenting books worth reading? We received one at a newborn class and it was awful. 

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? Either hot pepper flakes or Italian seasoning. 

JWatt5

How far along are you? 32 weeks!

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? I have a regular OB appt this week - I've got questions for this visit though. I'm ready to start talking about a general birth plan.

Cravings? Fruit

Rants/Raves? My sister gave me a ton of hand me downs from my nephew Jack - we've only covered 0-6 months and I filled two big blue Ikea bags. Then she gave me two pumps (Medela Pump in Style & a Swing), boppy pillow, smaller travel pack n' play for short trips, carrier, wraps, and a bunch of other random stuff. She had 4 big showers when she was pregnant last year so she has sooo much stuff. Gave me an awesome start!

Questions for FTM, STM+? Don't have one at the moment...

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? Fresh squeezed lemon or lime goes with a lot we like to make to give it a little zip - We eat mostly plant based.. 

smallbutmighty77

How far along are you? 33+3

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Last week- just measurements. Won't get the US until 36weeks.

Cravings? I got these things called zipsicles. (ziploc top plastic tubes like for otter pops) Filled them with lemonade, and have been loving my lemonade-slushy pops!

Rants/Raves? We did a CPR class at the hospital this weekend, it was good but the instructor was like 100 and kept talking about what she did with her kids. Like, 'Kept them in the crib b/c she didn't want them getting into her bed, but the dresser was close so they would climb out of the crib onto the dresser and jump down-but that was her, and different strokes for different folks' Maybe thats something people really shouldn't do-not just 'different strokes'. And how pretty bumpers are and how you can probably put them on once you feel comfortable. On her eval sheet I wrote that some of her ideas weren't just old-fashioned but proven unsafe. 

Questions for FTM, STM+? How long did you labor at home before going to the hospital?

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? Mixed up salt- soooo good.

@BlackNYellow we got Baby 411- hospital, pediatrician and others recommended it. 

littlebug2010

@Mango517 I have been monitoring mine.  I know it kinda ruins the surprise, but target and BRU keep discontinuing things that I put on there.  Plus, the only place that anyone has bought from is amazon, so I might be moving things from the other store to amazon.  I did the same thing with my wedding registry, and it really helped. 

littlebug2010

@smallbutmighty77 those popsicles sound AMAZING!!!! I might have to make myself some slush!

LSP87

@jacksonbears I have always been told to wait until your milk comes in before investing too much in multiple nursing bras. However, I bought two last time before DS was born and it worked out great as I found regular bras really, really uncomfortable once I hit the third trimester. I did the same this time, but got a different brand. I will wait until my milk comes in before I re-measure and shop for more bras though.

@Kathryn0903 it really just depends on the brand and your baby. Some brands have less "give" and others are more wide, yet short and vice versa. Annoying! Carters has always been quite accurate for me with DS..except for their 12+ sleepers. Super tight, super long (fire safety?) so I always bought up with those. I tend to put 3 with 0-3 and 6 with 3-6 but it just depends. Hoping all goes well for you!! 

@Mango517 the majority of registry shopping doesn't happen until about 48 hours before your shower and a lot more on the day of. I had a lot of people buy me things off my registry but from different stores, so it never showed up on my registry when I would stalk it and worry that I wouldn't have what I needed/planned for.

bumpybump

@Kathryn0903 the weird thing about baby/kid clothes is you never know at what age they'll really fit in them. The way I always think about sizing now is they "should" (used very loosely) be in that size by that age. So I'd say 3 mo clothes would start being used at 3 mos. But, it's going to vary so much for your LO. DD has always been on the smaller side so she wasn't ever in the "right" size at her ages until really now at 3 when she wears mostly 3T. 

@Mango517 I was a registry stalker but I also put some of the same items on all my registries and removed once purchased. You'll have surprise gifts amongst those you know you're getting so it's still fun. Plus, you registered for them so, is it really a "surprise" if you get them?

kvh22

@Mango517 I kept a pretty close eye on mine as well. I put some things on both Amazon and BRU depending on whether someone wanted to be able to order online or go in store - so I was trying to be vigilant about removing the duplicates when they were purchased. Like others have said, making sure too much wasn't out of stock (big problem with BRU) or that there were a good range of prices was something I felt strongly about.

How far along are you? 31 weeks

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Had one this morning. It went well, no arrhythmia detected again so I was able to cancel my fetal echo for next week Asked the doctor and apparently even though it's not still present, I can't have any caffeine for the rest of the pregnancy still (so no chocolate til post delivery).

Cravings? Nothing - kind of lost my appetite so forcing myself to eat, even when I'm hungry.

Rants/Raves? DH and I did a great job being productive this past week which was awesome! We bought last minute tickets to a baseball game on Saturday and DH wanted to go early to watch batting practice. It was 100+ degrees which was a bit intense but we had so much fun. We already had brunch plans up in Napa on Sunday and I got to smell all of the wine DH was tasting at our favorite spots afterwards...great weekend but we got absolutely nothing done on my to-do list for the weekend. I'm trying to make the most of the kid-free time we have left and really appreciate it, but now that it's Monday, I can't help but think about all the things we should have done this weekend to get ready for the baby instead.

Questions for FTM, STM+? How long after your shower should you get thank you notes out? Emily Post (which came up when I googled) says 2 months after the baby is born at the latest. That sounds like so much time. Although I'd love for that to be the case, I feel like it should be sooner?? I'd plan on getting them all out before the baby is born anyways but want to make sure if I had my shower on the earlier end that I'm not behind.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? Salt like a few people have mentioned. I have strong feelings on when each type is appropriate (finishing salts, kosher salt for use over heat, iodized salt for pasta water although I'm basically exclusively using it for everything right now to get iodine during pregnancy). I think we have a dozen+ different types of salt in the house. Also, +1 on the acid, like @JWatt5 said.

@littlebug2010 100% yes to adding extra vanilla. I use a vanilla bean paste instead of extract and I love it!!

DeansGirl14

@kvh22 re: thank you notes. I don't have an etiquette-approved answer but will offer my opinion. The current Emily Post is not as conservative as the historic EP and 2 months after baby is born could really lengthen the time depending on when your shower was. So to me, TYs should go out as soon as you feel able to complete them! One, because they won't hang over your head taunting you. Two, because if the baby comes early, you'll lose time to do them dealing with a newborn. Three... people get really impressed with quick thank you notes, lol. 
I gave myself a week after the shower to get organized and then I started banging out the notes the next weekend and then while watching evening TV. Had to go buy more stamps and check some addresses, but people got their notes about 2 weeks after the shower. This was with nearly 40 attendees. 

Feliciosity

How far along are you? 33 + 4

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Next week.

Cravings? Nope. Just hungry all the time.

Rants/Raves? Had my baby shower this last weekend. It went well. It was a little hot and I got a tiny bit sunburned, but we received so many generous gifts from our friends and family. It was such a blessing.

Questions for FTM, STM+? None right now.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? When making a cake from the pre-made box stuff, I add some meringue powder. Makes the cake extra fluffy and moist.

imwithbaby

@jacksonbears HBD! DH's birthday is also 5 days from our LO's due date, so I won't be surprised if she makes her appearance then! 

@Kathryn0903 SO crazy that your LO could be here in 3 weeks! But also praying that your BP stays low! 

@BlackNYellow I just started reading Bringing Up Bebe and I'm obsessed. It's part memoir, part parenting guide, so it's super read-able. I also have Happiest Baby on the Block on my list. 

@kvh22 yay for no arrhythmia! As for TY notes, I had my shower last Saturday and I put the TY notes in the mail today. I knew they'd just linger on my to-do list and wanted to get them out of the way, plus it's just the way I've been trained in the South to very quickly send notes (a lá the more conservative & original Emily Post that @DeansGirl14 mentioned). I definitely think you'll want to get them out before baby arrives, more so for your sanity than etiquette. 

How far along are you? // 31 weeks tomorrow

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? // I can't remember if I posted this last week or not, and I'm too lazy to go back and check. For those following our home birth saga (needing an OB's "ok" since I'm on Zoloft, plus a local OB fudging my medical records after our appointment), we traveled the 2 hours to Tampa a week ago and met with an AMAZING team at USF Health (if anyone is local to Tampa and looking for an OB, there you go). We actually had an (unexpected) second anatomy scan so that the doc could see LO before making an assessment, and she looks great! Head down and 64th percentile...u/s tech said she's measuring about a week ahead but we all know how inaccurate that is. Anyway, the OB we met with after was great, encouraged me to stay on the Zoloft and that it was totally safe, etc. Now we're just waiting on the actual written records from that visit to see if we're cleared for home birth, which hopefully will happen this week. 

Cravings? // Chocolate, as always, and McDonalds.

Rants/Raves? // We're traveling to Atlanta this weekend for our second shower (thrown by DH's sister) which is like 5.5 hours away. NOT looking forward to that drive. And we're basically going straight to a Braves game, so I just am a little whiney about having to be in a car for that long and then sit through a 3+ hour game. 

Questions for FTM, STM+? // Swelling in feet....see above about the Atlanta trip. I imagine sitting that long will make my ankles swell? Is that actually dangerous or is it more cosmetic? Trying to figure out if I need to get compression socks, especially this late in the game. 

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? // Um, salt? There's nothing I put in *all* of my cooking, other than salt, but I do love using fresh herbs, especially basil that is growing like a weed on my porch. 

SouthernMama15

@mrsmatt1212 you'll be near me! I hear the new Braves stadium is awesome, I'm dying to go!

bumpybump

@mrsmatt1212 yes to getting compression socks! That long of a drive can definitely make swelling worse. Then sottinggat the Braves game will contribute further. FYour circulation is lower when you sit for a long length of time. If I start to see any foot/ankle swelling, I put the socks on and my swelling gets so much better. They can help stop swelling too. 

imwithbaby

@SouthernMama15 DH is obsessed with baseball,(goes on a trip to a new stadium each year) so he is stoked. It will be cool to see the new stadium though, especially since we went to the old Turner Field! We've also heard great things!

littlebug2010

@mrsmatt1212 Long drives are no fun!  I have to make a 4 hour drive for mine when Im 35+2 for mine.  DH and I are planning to take a bunch of breaks so I can stretch my legs.  It will probably make the 4 hour drive closer to 5 or 6, but I would rather get there feeling okay.  Hope your drive goes smoothly! 

BlackNYellow

@mrsmatt1212 Glad your visit went well...I hope you are get that clearance soon. I still can not believe you have to go through all of that for zoloft?! 

WineAndDogs

How far along are you? 

31+2

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go?

Last week, everything went great. Head was down (though I'm assuming that can change), HB was 150 and my Dr. told me to keep doing whatever I'm doing!

Cravings?

Nothing in particular...I don't have a huge appetite but know I need to eat. 

Rants/Raves?

Rant: I talked about it in my Ticker Change on Saturday, but apparently my pubic bone is separating, which explains the intermittent stabbing sensation to my crotch. It stops me in my tracks and brings tears to my eyes.
Rave: Fingers cross I pass my boards this week. I am going to try to be positive and count it as a rave haha

Questions for FTM, STM+?
Sooooo does this crotch punch feeling get worse until I deliver? Or just not get better?

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? 
I feel like everything is better with a little salt/pepper/olive oil

kvh22

@blackandyellow I second what @mrsmatt1212 said - I liked bringing up bebe (took it with a grain of salt which I think is key to enjoying it). It was less of a how to/guide but the comparisons between the Parisian and American cultures were really interesting and I got some good takeaways. I listened to that and The Sh!t No One Tells You during my cross country flights last month and both were entertaining as opposed to a lot of the other parenting books although perhaps slightly less valuable. I got less practical advice out of The Sh!t No One Tells You but I do feel slightly more prepared to deal with certain things that may come up and to just "expect the unexpected." I am also working my way through the Happiest Baby on the Block as that was recommended in one of the classes we took. Brain Rules for Baby had good reviews and was only $1.99 in the Kindle store (plus I had a digital credit...can't beat free). I haven't started it yet so can't provide too much insight but I like that it's rooted in science (supposedly).

imwithbaby

@BlackNYellow girl, you and me both. It's obnoxious, especially when everyone (OB, midwives, psychiatrist) reiterates how safe it is and how it could be worse for the baby to be unmedicated. It's just a lot of red tape at this point.

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f

@jacksonbears Happy birthday! Hope you had a great day!

@mrsmatt1212 That's such a better update than your last one! Happy you found a great resource. 

@Mango517 +1 for being a registry stalker. I was surprised how often stuff would get discontinued or be out of stock for months. At the same time, it worried me that we'd be stuck purchasing tons of items from the registry that we actually needed because people were just buying clothes/other gifts. Sounds selfish since I'm so appreciative of the gifts, but I just wanted the practical stuff! That being said, we got a ton - lots of last minute purchases like PP mentioned. Plus gift cards that don't show up when you're checking your registry. 

@kvh22 I had mine out about a week or two after the shower. It was honestly weighing on me seeing all the gifts in our living room and knowing I had all these notes to write. I'd just take a few nights, sit in front of the tv and bang them out. That way, when LO is here you'll get to concentrate on cute birth announcements! (If you're planning on sending them). 

How far along are you? 32 + 5

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Put this in the Weekly appointments thread, but had another appointment this AM and BP was high. Went for a NST and it came down, heartbeat sounded great. I'm so confused why my morning reading is so high lately. Being monitored closely for pre-e now. No diagnosis as of yet.

Cravings? Popcorn! Started popping our own kernels in coconut oil. It's delicious and so light. 

Rants/Raves? Rave- had friends up from college this weekend and had a blast hanging out. It was so weird to think this might be the last time we're all together before DD arrives. Rant - Just feeling meh.. feeling like we potentially have way less time than I was planning for. 

Questions for FTM, STM+? None today

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? I'm a big fan of garlic. Either use garlic powder or fresh garlic depending on the dish. 

mrsvp614

How far along are you? 29+5

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? I passed my 3 hr glucose test! Very relieved about that. Going in for a basic 30 week checkup on Friday.

Cravings? PB&J and chocolate milk (I usually hate milk)

Rants/Raves? Rant: DH and I took a long weekend off work together to get some things done. Although we were very productive and did lots of nesting, it wore me out and it's really tough getting back on my work schedule.
Rave: My best friend is pregnant! She's due Jan 1 with her first, and I'm so excited that we get to experience this together and that our kiddos will be just a few months apart.

Questions for FTM, STM+? I can't think of any right now, although I think of them all day long!

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? Along with @secicc12
 I'm a garlic lover! 

Mango517

Want to thank everyone for the advice that it's OK (and actually a good thing) to stalk my registry! It's silly, but I never peeked once at my wedding registry before the shower since I do like to be surprised. But in reality, I registered for this stuff and therefore I know what is on there potentially being bought. I also really wanted to be conscientious of having all price points well represented since it drives me nuts when it's either $$$$ or the $4 items left on the registry since I'm a believer in trying to buy off the registry for showers... but I'm also a last minute shopper.

littlebug2010

@secicc12 I LOVE garlic! Im pretty sure everything I cook has garlic in it!  My favorite way to eat it is roasted!  Im glad your feeling okay after your NST, but fx the high bp ends up being nothing! 

@Mango517 and anyone else who might have registered at BRU.  Make sure you stalk your registry!  I went on a week ago and almost half of the things that we registered for were discontinued or in store only! Ive been slowing going through and removing the item from BRU and adding it to either the target or amazon registry. It super frustrating, but I went to a wedding once, and over half their registry was not in stock, and the things that were still there were way out of price range!   

Mango517

@littlebug2010 I never imagined things would get discontinued as fast as they did! We only registered about 2 weeks ago at BBBaby and already "discontinued" popped up next to a decent amount of things. Also a bunch of the big stuff was cheaper on Amazon, which gives me the diaper rewards, so I moved a lot of stuff over there last night.

littlebug2010

@Mango517 I have been doing the same.  The stupid BRU website is so slow, so its taking me a while to get through the important stuff.  It makes me so mad that they just discontinue so quickly, and that you dont get any sort of notification.  I dont know what I would do without amazon! 

emilyrose807

How far along are you? 34 weeks today

Any appointments this week/last? How did it go? Next appt is this Thurs

Cravings? Alcohol. But am not indulging the craving.

Rants/Raves? Rave to my FIL for hauling a reclining lawn chair all over Kauai last week so I could get up and down from my beach chair and keep my feet elevated in the heat. It was amazing!

Questions for FTM, STM+? Not this week.

GTKY: Is there a secret ingredient you put in all your cooking? If so, what is it? My approach to cooking is an abandonment approach. I like to put things on to cook, set the timer and then abandon it until the timer goes off. That way I can multi-task. Sometimes, this is good, like my grilling always gets lots of compliments, but I also tend to burn things when I am baking. Haha.

BlackNYellow

@littlebug2010 Have you tried using the BRU app? It is much faster than the website. 

littlebug2010

@BlackNYellow I did, but I found that all the updates I made there were not reflected on the website.  It worked well for buying my own things off my registry in store, but I went through and added a ton of stuff on there and got rid of things, and then the website didnt reflect any of it.  

BlackNYellow

@littlebug2010 oh no! I've been using the app almost exclusively. Thanks for the warning, I better go check the website!! 

littlebug2010

@BlackNYellow I hope, for your sake, that my issues were just a fluke! I was mostly worried that if one was different from the other, that who knew what would print out at the store! FX you have better luck than I did! 

kvh22

@DeansGirl14, @mrsmatt1212, and @secicc12 - thanks for the feedback on the thank you notes. They definitely had been weighing on me so I got most of them out today (until I ran out) thanks to the fire you ladies lit under my butt. I did one day shipping on a few things from Amazon Prime to get more TY cards delivered today so the last few will go out tomorrow morning! Excited to be able to focus on other things.