Questions for STM+ 11/8

cyanope

@steph30032, DD will be 2 in January, and I *think* she understands that there is a baby on the way. We try to talk about the baby constantly, and when we ask her where her baby brother is, she says, "in Mommy's belly." We have a book that we read with her every night called, "I'm a Big Sister." We got it on Amazon for like $5 (they have an "I'm a Big Brother" version too, I think). She LOVES that book. Since we started reading it, she walks around saying, "I'm a big sister now (one of the lines from the book)." I like the book because it talks about how to be gentle with the baby, how to be helpful, and that babies don't do much. It also reinforces that even though there is a new baby, the "big sister" is still special to Mommy and Daddy. One last thing that has helped her understand: My SIL (who watches DD three days a week) was three weeks ahead of me, and just had her daughter last week (a few weeks early, but LO is perfect and didn't need any NICU time). DD was able to see my SIL's belly grown, and now sees that she has a baby that came from her belly. I think that was the final piece that really helped DD understand. 

BelhurstBride

@RookieAlert, I'm a total hippy, so reusable is the only way I'll go! 

libbberty

I have a couple questions for moms of "big babies" (which I would qualify as over 8.5 lbs in my own head - very scientifically, of course).

How much NB vs size 0-3 months clothing did you actually need? Trying to pick some stuff up this weekend (since my shower was sadly postponed) and trying to balance what we'll need given that baby is on track for well >9lbs at birth. I never thought I'd want a baby this big, but if it helps those lungs grow to a larger size, my vagina and uterus will have to figure it out . I know some brands differ, so any of those tips are useful!

...and for the life of me, I can't remember my other question. 

burnsmommy27

@libbberty I did not have a large baby but wanted to let you know that Gerber clothes tend to run small and long. DD could never fit in anything Gerber.

supercoolstephy

@libbberty I owned exactly 1 NB item for DS, born at 8 lbs 7 oz the day he was born. I did go out and buy a single pack of onesies and bottoms and 1 other sleeper the week we came home so he at least had something to wear. He lasted about 2-3 weeks in those. Everything else was 0-3 months. We basically always lived the next size up, so if it was 6 months we were usually out of them when he turned 6 months. I'm slightly freaking out this time because this new baby is at 50-ish% in weight, whereas DS was about 96% at this time. So I have no clue how much or what sizes to buy now. haha I swore DH made big babies, guess not this time. 

Side note: We had DSs 2 yr apt yesterday. My poor short, round boy. 19% in height, 86% in weight. 2T bottoms (that are too long but fit his waist), and 3T shirts now.

edit: spelling.

steph30032

@libbberty My son was not a big baby (7lbs 14oz), but I second the post about Gerber running small. I tend to avoid Gerber brand clothes for that reason, however I did find some stuff that was too cute to pass up and in those cases, I just bought the next size up which worked pretty good for us. 

lmmjd

@libbberty DD was 9lb on the dot. She was in NB from birth-9days old, then was admitted to the hospital for 14 days and couldn't wear anything but swaddles because of her PICC line. Once we left the hospital, NB was too small and she was in 0-3. 0-3 was a little baggy on her in those first 9 days, but not so overwhelmingly large that I couldn't put her in it (I think she would have been in NB for part of those two weeks had she been able to). For this LO, I got a couple NB outfits for coming home and just incase, and past that, I will be buying more 0-3 because I will get so much more use out of it.

cyanope

@libbberty, DD was 8lbs, so not your definition of "big," but still a good size! She was in NB clothes FOREVER (until about 3 months)! Our experience was the opposite of @supercoolstephy. DD has always been "behind" a size. She'll be 2 in January and still fits in all of her 18 month clothes (some are STILL too big). She always outgrows the length before she outgrows the width.
So, I would say...it depends on your baby! Some plump up quickly, and some take a while. My LO never got plump...she's always been a string bean. At her 18 month check up, she was in the 30th percentile for weight (FINALLY! She has always been well below the 20th percentile, so the 30th is HUGE for her), and the 80th for height. Long and skinny!

bainidhedub

DS was 9lbs 3oz. He wore NB sizes for about the first 2 weeks. After that he was in the size labeled for him or one ahead. I distinctly remember having a minor crisis when I had to go buy clothes labeled 6mo for my 2.5mo baby.

[Deleted User]

I've found Carter's to have the most "accurate" sizing, but DD has been pretty consistent with her growth. Just an example, and it's been this way for almost every size, she started wearing 18mo stuff around 14 mo, outgrew the 12mo clothes at 16mo, and is still comfortable in their 18mo (if that makes sense). She was 7lbs 4oz when she was born and was in newborn for maybe 3 months?

edited to chime in about Gerber-it was nice when she was tiny because it was smaller and so long, but after she outgrew the NB clothes we avoided the brand.

libbberty

Thank you all! Very helpful, and I really appreciate it.

leeeahyo

Sooo I'm pretty certain I just lost my mucus plug. STM 32w1d--I know they can regenerate but anyone I have heard to actually see that they lost it went into labor shortly after(like a few days). Anyone have any information on this that can ease my mind? 

missblaze

@leeeahyo I've had friends lose and regenerate their mucus plug like, 4 times. If you have no other symptoms, I wouldn't worry. 

kelk5

@leeeahyo, FTM here but in my prepared childbirth class they said the mucus plug could fall out anywhere from a few weeks before to during labor. I think as long as you are not having any other signs of pre-term labor it is okay. If you are worried then call your doctor.

Jmedeiros24

My daughter was 8lbs 12oz and she wore nb for about 2 weeks, by 3 months, she was in 6 month clothing.

crizz13

This chart was always super helpful for me. I echo that Gerber and Old Navy have always seemed to run small (but not baby gap which doesn’t make sense).

bainidhedub

Oh yeah now that it's come up, Gerber onesies definitely ran slim & long compared to Carter's. We didn't buy or use those much as he outgrew them pretty quickly even when he was still in other things labeled the same size.

egirl1025

I definitely think Carter's was the most true to size, or easy to figure out at least.  My little guy probably could have wore preemie for his first couple of weeks, but we just stuck with newborn.  I would say he was in newborn for the first 10 weeks. He was only 4lbs 10oz at just over 3 weeks early, but he caught up pretty quickly. I always felt that the Gap ran short and wide, but I was always comparing to my long and skinny baby.  I am so interested to see how big this next one will be.. Doesn't really seem bigger, but we are hoping to bake this one a bit longer.  A have pulled out an array of newborn and 0-3 month clothes for the guy and will bring some newborn options to the hospital with me.  I have bought two new outfits for this LO and I hope they aren't too huge.

[Deleted User]

@crizz13 interesting, I've always found Old Navy to be pretty true to size, if not running a little bit for us! It's so weird how brands fit babies differently.

sbishop426

My son was 6lbs 13oz at birth and wore NB for about 8 weeks. I agree about Gerber clothes being super tiny plus thinner material so doesn’t hold up as well. We like Carters for sizing. And Cat and Jack (from Target) has some really cute stuff. 

IrishPiratess

DD was 8lbs 14oz, and was in newborn for a good while, we've been right on the dot with sizing, like 3 months when she was three months, size 4T now that she's 4 years old. 
I think it just depends on the baby and how they grow. Mine needs extra length before she needs more in the girth

lmmjd

Ok, so we have probably talked about this somewhere, but I am not finding it.

Is anyone getting a gift for their older children "from LO"? 

If so, at what age would you not get something and, if you don't mind sharing what you are getting? I would love to get some ideas. (DD is 3, but SO has a 14, (almost)11, and 8 year old. Not sure if they are too old or not...)

supercoolstephy

@lmmjd I'm not planning on a gift from the new babe for DS (2) or SS (13). I might make a little nursing station of toys for DS to play with so I can nurse and he'll have a place to do his thing, but it'll likely just be his toys that he already has in a specific location.

[Deleted User]

@lmmjd I don't think I'm planning on getting DD anything. She's too little (almost 17 months) to understand what's going on. I was going to do probably the same thing as @supercoolstephy and have some of her current toys and new things she'll be getting for Christmas easily accessible for when I'm nursing.

crizz13

We are getting DD (3 years old) a preschool camera to give when she visits the hospital. She loves taking photos and I figured lots of people will be taking pictures of the new baby, so she’d like a camera of her own. We’re telling her it’s feom us thoug, not from her baby sister. 

KatieEl

@leeeahyo they definitely can regenerate, so as long as you're not having any other pre-labor symptoms I really wouldn't stress about it.  I lost mine on Sunday too.

trudytudy

@KatieEl and @leeeahyo I’m glad I saw your posts. I was a tiny bit crampy on Saturday morning and then in the evening I thought I might have lost some or all of my mucus plug.  I had never noticed a mucus plug with my previous babies. I attributed this potential mucus plug loss to having intercourse the night before. 

steph30032

@lmmjd I’m definitely getting something for DS (2) when the baby comes. I’ll give it to him at the hospital from baby, but I know he won’t understand it’s from her. But my main reasoning is I want him to still feel loved and special when everyone else is giving attention to the baby. I don’t know what I’ll give him yet, but nothing crazy. Maybe a few books or toy cars or an action figure. 

IrishPiratess

@lmmjd the baby is gifting DD the toy version of the Ergo Carrier, and her first Cabbage Patch kid baby so DD can carry her baby around like I will be

conineml

@crizz13 and @IrishPiratess those are such cute gifts!  I love yalls creativity!  And they make complete sense and sound like they will make your oldest LOs feel like they are involved like everyone else in new LOs lives.

mindaa

Hadn't thought about giving it "from" the baby, buy definitely plan on getting ds something. Just picked up a set of me Reader books that were going to be for Christmas, so we might save those.
Love the doll, idea too.

trudytudy

I was thinking about getting a gift to the new baby from Santa and letting the kids open it on Christmas.  Or maybe a gift to him from all of us. I don’t plan to have the new baby get gifts for the big kids though.