June 2018 Moms

STM+ Check-in [January]

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Re: STM+ Check-in [January]

  • @llamamama14 ~ I think so. I vaguely remember someone in another group mentioning that 
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  • I was offline for most of the last week, since I was working at home due to the horrible weather (is it spring yet?) and only had 1 screen my work took much longer to complete.  My entire house is sick- luckily I haven't gotten DD's cold too badly, but my husband was lucky enough to have her cough right into his mouth.  He can take cold medicine though- so if anyone is going to be sick it should be him.  She's finally starting to get better- it's been a full week already.  Hoping I can bring her back to daycare Thursday.  

    I read through all of the conversation I missed out on and while I won't be as impressive as @sunshineandwhiskey with the tagging I did want to send my sympthy to @megara5 I'm so sorry for your loss.  

    For potty training- I remember watching my little cousins when they were in the potty training years (they are 22 and almost 21 now).  Zach is 17 months older than his sister Morgan and she was much easier to potty train.  He was almost afraid of the toilet.  We had him in underwear and he would come and ask for a diaper when he had to poo- just did not want to sit on the toilet.  My aunt and uncle let him continue with this behavior while trying to talk to him about his fears about sitting on the toilet.  Boys can take longer to train for sure- but I remember them telling me that the fear of sitting on the toilet is not uncommon- so it's something to look for if your boys are just refusing to learn.  

    Now I have a question for those with pets- specifically A$$hole cats.  We have issues with the baby gates on the stairs since the a*hole cats in question will be extremely annoying if they cannot get into our room at night (they are terrified of DD so don't spend much time in her room).  We only have the gate at the bottom of the stairs right now- since DD is still in a crib and I keep her door closed when I am letting her play in her room or the bathroom.  Since we are expecting her to transition out of the crib around the same time we have this LO we know we need to get a gate for the top of the stairs, but I do not want to deal with the cats crying at the gate every night.  Do any of you have suggestions for either pet friendly gates or mounting the gate "x" amount of inches off the ground so the cats can get under?    
    me 35/ DH 39
    married 8/22/2015
    BFP#1- 4/2014 edd 1/1/15 mmc/d&c 6/2014
    BFP#2- 10/2015 edd- 6/29/2016 mmc/ d&c 12/2015
    BFP#3- 4/30/2016 DD1 12/27/16
    BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18

  • @jsl82 I don’t have stairs but have a baby gate to the room his litter box is in so DD can’t get in there. I mounted it about 5 inches off the ground so he can slide under but the kid and the dogs can’t. 


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  • @jsl82 This is pretty much the exact one we have https://www.target.com/p/summer-infant-174-walk-thru-multi-use-bronze-deco-extra-tall-baby-gate-with-auto-close/-/A-13970195

    It's slightly annoying to mount it higher than the floor because you have to remember to step over that bottom bar or your shins will meet up with it quite painfully. But for all other purposes it works just fine. 


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  • jsl82            my dogs are too big for this to be useful but I believe they make gates with pet doors that can be left open
  • @kmurdock925.... mind blown. Now I need a new baby gate too  :D


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  • We have that exact Carlson gate. Works great for cats!
    Me: 34 
    Husband: 35
    Married: June 2007
    Son Max born 1/10/17
    BFP #2: 10/5/17; EDD: 6/11/18
  • Thanks everyone!  

    @lisa2589 I'll have to consider the shins to the bar issue, especially since it will be at the top of our stairs.  
    @kmurdock925 that is the gate we have at the bottom of the stairs and the gate doesn't stay open, so they can get through from the upstairs by pushing but can't get back up the stairs since they are not able to open the door.  And we can't just pry the door off because the opening is big enough for DD to crawl through- and she tried over the weekend.  We have been keeping the cat door closed and the cats squeeze through the sides.

    I'll have to look for a swing open gate without the bottom bar so I can mount off the floor- unless someone wants a couple cats? haha just kidding- DH would kill me if I gave away our cats on TB. 
    me 35/ DH 39
    married 8/22/2015
    BFP#1- 4/2014 edd 1/1/15 mmc/d&c 6/2014
    BFP#2- 10/2015 edd- 6/29/2016 mmc/ d&c 12/2015
    BFP#3- 4/30/2016 DD1 12/27/16
    BFP#4- 9/26 edd 6/5/18

  • catlady1215catlady1215 member
    edited January 2018

    this was actually my worry a lot over the years. we had a gate thing at the bottom of the stairs.. but it was rigged so they could get around it and DS couldn't. But luckily he stayed in his crib for yeeeears (till 4 lol) without giving us issues. mainly cause I didn't know what to do with gates/cats! I was worried about putting one at the top of the stairs and my older cat not judging it right when jumping over, down stairs. And we also have a 3rd story, with no door on the steps. plus the spare room where the litter pan was. so that's 3 places I had to worry about. I did very quickly look into gates with pet doors but I'm not sure if some swing both ways or not. I'd really hope they would.

    me:35 DH:34
    DS: born oct 2012
    TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
              BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
              BFP #3 sept17  EDD 5/31/18
    fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
  • We also have the Carlson gate with the cat door and it works well @jsl82 Be warned, however, that DS figured out how to get through the cat door around 7-8 months when he started crawling.  
  • @jsl82 - does the gate need to be at the top of the stairs, or can you put a gate in the doorway to her room?  I know a lot of moms do that when they have little ones climbing out of the crib at an early age.

     Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    First Son - born 2013
    Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).  First open heart surgery at 5 days old.  He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing.
    Third Son - due June 9, 2018
  • can't believe I didn't think that also, what @mytinc said. Is that an option?
    by the time we transitioned DS though, he was potty trained. he was still calling for us from his bed to take him if he had to go, but I liked the idea of him going himself if he needed to and didn't want him pinned in.
    me:35 DH:34
    DS: born oct 2012
    TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
              BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
              BFP #3 sept17  EDD 5/31/18
    fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
  • I'm late to the game but here goes.

    1. How many weeks are you? 
    16 weeks today

    2. How old are your LOs?
    DD is 4 years old.

    3. Symptoms/Appointments/Fun Baby related stuff?
    Migraines.  I have an appointment for an echo in February and a wellbeing and gender scan scan tonight (excited).

    4. How’s life? 
    Good but I'm finding the headaches quite debilitating when they come. They last for 2-3 days and it's hard to function.  This was fine over Christmas but now that I have a ton of work to do it's been a challenge.

    5. GTKY: How do you like your coffee?
    Pre-pregnancy I liked it strong, with a splash of milk no sugar.  Now I'm on one measly cup of weak decaff a day. 



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  • @lolalipsy you're right around the time i was getting a lot of headaches that lasted a couple days. I wouldn't call them migraines so my suggestions might not worked. But I toughed them out as long as i could then would cave with one Tylenol followed by a glass of Pepsi. It helped a couple times. For the ones that it didn't, I put a couple drops of peppermint EO on my forehead. It didn't make them vanish. But it took the edge off for awhile, which was good enough at that point cause they were rough!
    me:35 DH:34
    DS: born oct 2012
    TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
              BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
              BFP #3 sept17  EDD 5/31/18
    fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
  • @BurlapandLace I see... no one consulted my 3 year old on that decision...

    @Lolalipsy Sorry about the headaches. Can you up your daily caffeine a bit?

    Anyone have a favorite forehead swipe thermometer? I still use a rectal but DS hates it and now that he's 3 he feels a bit old for it. 

    He has a fever this afternoon so we're binge watching Paw Patrol...

  • @llamamama14 we have this one. It’s not bad. I like that it’s forehead and ear. Most forehead ones aren’t great so we usually do an average of a bunch of spots on her head and if it gets over 102 we do rectal. 
    Me: 28 | Husband: 39
    Married March 2016
    DD: born 7.22.16
    DS EDD: 6.23.18
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • @catlady1215 and @llamamama14. Thanks, I'll try this.  I've just been using lots of ice packs and 4head rub plus the "kool and soothe" strips which give some minor comfort.  I've spoken to the doctor about it and as long as I don;t lose the use of my arms and legs they're not concerned  :# (joking of course but they didn't seem concerned by them even though getting up for the bathroom is painful because of the pounding and pulsating). 



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  • Hello everyone not sure if I posted here or in FTM last time.  I’ve never given birth myself but am in the process of adopting our 2 girls who have been with us 18 months.  Not sure which group I belong too!

    I’m sorry for not tagging anyone but we have had 2 experiences with potty training.  Our 4 year old didn’t start until 3 1/2 and it was a real issue with her school.  They sort of held her back because of it but worked really hard with her.  She came to us with a lot of delays.  However by 4 it all clicked and she now sleeps through the night completely dry.  Our 23 mo old started sitting on the potty and taking off her own diapers at 21 months.  Just this past month she started going in the potty every time so we put her in pull ups.  We think she basically just copies big sister on everything, but it’s pretty incredible how she just got the hang of it so young!

    How many weeks are you?
    17+5

    2. How old are your LOs?
    DDs are 23 MOs and 4 1/2.

    3. Symptoms/Appointments/Fun Baby related stuff?
    Have lots of little cramping and backaches.  Now I’m just trying to figure out how we are going to fit 3 kids in a car (both mine and DH). I think I will be going for a new car this year but DH won’t.  We trade off daily picking up and taking the kids to school.  Mostly just looking at ideas for 3 across seats for his car.

    4. How’s life? 
    Life is good and hectic!  I have to say it was not ever my plan to have 3 kids, which sounds terrible, because we are so excited!  We are just trying to figure out all the rearranging of our lives to make it work.  Shared bedroom for the girls, new car, new schools, going out to eat as 5, having only 2 sets of hands, my mind is swimming.  Somehow 2 was a pretty easy transition but 3 just seems a little different.  Maybe my thoughts on this will change once he arrives lol! 

    5. GTKY: How do you like your coffee?
    Black
  • XtabbikatxXtabbikatx member
    edited January 2018
    Have we asked this question yet? How are the older kids responding to the pregnancy news and or how are you breaking it to them?

    We have been telling DS that he is going to have a little brother or sister soon. He is going to be a big brother like SS1 and SS2. Right now he tries to play with my belly and he is very concerned about how the baby got in there. He is 3 for reference. Also, anyone have an age appropriate response to this question? 

    ETA: SS1 and SS2 are teenagers. They are somewhat excited about it but only if it is another brother. They "don't know how to handle a sister" I laughed. 
  • @MamaLlama14 - We have two forehead thermometers.  This Braun one we got free from Influenster and while it does fluxuate in temperature range, I feel it is accurate enough to determine fever or no fever.  And it's really nice to not have to get them to stay still and actually touch their foreheads when kids aren't feeling well to begin with.  We also have this Exergen one, which we bought when DS2 was a baby.  It's much easier than a rectal or ear thermometer, and is more accurate than the Braun one, but it can be a pain if the kid doesn't sit still long enough to swipe his/her head correctly.  

     Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    First Son - born 2013
    Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).  First open heart surgery at 5 days old.  He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing.
    Third Son - due June 9, 2018
  • @xtabbikatx Do you guys talk about God in your home? (not judging either way). we aren't practicing but I went to catholic school and DS goes to a catholic school for now. So if he ever asks, i'll just say God put baby brother there for us.

    As for how he's taking it. He's 5, so he understands more. and he loves it. I seriously melt every time he tries to hug my belly or rub it. Or just talking about sharing this toy or that toy with 'baby bruvver'. ugh! and I hope he never learns how to say 'brother' cause 'bruvver' is the cutest thing ever.
    me:35 DH:34
    DS: born oct 2012
    TFAS: BFP #1 aug16. miscarriage sept16
              BFP #2 nov16 MMC dec16. d&c jan17
              BFP #3 sept17  EDD 5/31/18
    fingers crossed for our rainbow baby
  • @Xtabbikatx - My two boys (4.5 and 3 years old) are very excited.  They haven't asked much about how the baby got in there, but there have been questions about how it will come out when it is big enough.  DS1 thinks my belly will essentially just explode.  I have told them both in the past that we prayed to God for a baby and one day we found out that a baby was growing.  I left out the part where mommy and daddy were involved.  ;)  They both like that explanation, because it means that we really wanted them to be in our family and we were so happy when we found out they were coming.

     Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    First Son - born 2013
    Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).  First open heart surgery at 5 days old.  He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing.
    Third Son - due June 9, 2018
  • @catlady1215, @mytinc We are not religious in our household. Right now we have left as "babies grow in mommies's tummies until they are big enough. Right now baby is tiny and needs to grow" Which doesn't really answer his question, but answers the question about why it is there. So far that has placated him. We shall see how long it last. 
  • Ugh help ladiessss I’m 99% sure DD has HFM. Has anyone gone through this and have any good remedies? I know it’s viral so no meds other than Tylenol/Motrin, but did you try anything that helped? 
    Me: 28 | Husband: 39
    Married March 2016
    DD: born 7.22.16
    DS EDD: 6.23.18
    BabyFruit Ticker
  • marcus7676marcus7676 member
    edited January 2018
    @sunshineandwhiskey DS had it around 6 months and there wasn’t much we could do. I can’t even recall if he was on solids. If DD is, you could try frozen yogurt / smoothies if her throat hurts. I hope she feels better soon! Also, wash your hands. HFM for adults is supposed to be way worse. 
  • Yikes! there was an announcement on one of the Mom boards locally that it is present in my area. Please please don't get it DD. 

    I have a bit of a whine/whinge at the moment. I. CAN'T. SLEEP.  Like if I get to sleep, And DH comes to bed, I wake up, and can't get back to sleep. And then DD is up in the night. (consistently!!! For months now) And then I am up for like 2 hours in the middle of the night because I CAN'T SLEEP. Sometimes it is because I am uncomfortable. Sometimes, it is my brain working overtime. Last night, I couldn't get back to sleep after DD was up. So I moved beds. Then she got up again! Put her down in the spare bed/big girl bed, she went off to dreamland, and I broke down in tears. I am so tired. 

    Short of a stay at the local Holiday Inn... anyone have an suggestions? Anyone have the same challenges? Can someone tell me this too shall pass? 

    Mama to a wonderful DD - Sep 2015, Wife to my DH since 2011, 2 dogs, a cat, and hoping to add No. 2 in May/June 2018. Canadian.
    5 - IUIs, 3 - IVF retrievals, 2- failed transfers (fresh, and frozen), PGS on second IVF resulted in 1 perfect emby, and DD. 
    3rd IVF w PGS resulted in 3! perfect embys. 1st transfer - Sep 2017 2 more on ice. 
  • @rnielsen321 have you tried taking benedryl? My son still wakes up several times a night. He usually isn't up for long as all I normally need to do to resettle him now is put his pacifier back in and hand him his bunny lovey. But it's fairly common for me to have trouble getting back to sleep if I wake during the night and that's only worse during pregnancy. I've been taking benadryl at night and I am more tired for the night wake ups but they're manageable and then I normally fall right back to sleep after.

    Sorry you're so tired. :(
    Me: 28 Husband: 31
    TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
    Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
    Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017  ❤️

    Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
    BabyFruit Ticker


  • @rnielsen321 - I'd love to tell you that it will pass, but I'm right there with you.  Even when I'm not woken up by a kid or my husband, I'll wake up to pee and find myself awake for no reason for an hour or two.  :( 


     Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    First Son - born 2013
    Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).  First open heart surgery at 5 days old.  He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing.
    Third Son - due June 9, 2018
  • @rnielsen321 I'll +1 the Benadryl. That's helped me on nights where I'm desperate to sleep. DH works varying shifts at work and sometimes he's on first shift so he's waking up and getting ready around 3 AM which in turn wakes me up and I'm not able to fall back to sleep.

    Also, DH surprised me with a U-shaped pregnancy pillow that I got sleep on for the first time last night. Best night of sleep I've had in at least a month or two! I was just using a body pillow before but this one has support for my belly and my back. Seemed to make a big difference. 
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  • @harveyabbey77 can you sleep on your stomach with the U shaped pillow?


  • @harveyabbey77 omg yes to the U shaped pillow. My husband got me a back n belly pillow but he got the new one where you can use your own pillow with it because I drool more than our 7 month old at night. I love it. It's like sleeping in a giant cloud of awesome. I'm visiting family and we didn't have room in the car for the giant pillow so it's been at home the last couple of weeks and oh man I miss it. I might miss it more than I miss my husband. ;)
    Me: 28 Husband: 31
    TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
    Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
    Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017  ❤️

    Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
    BabyFruit Ticker


  • @llamamama14 I don't think it has enough lift or support to sleep on my stomach. Not like the inflatable ones I've seen that have the hole for your bump. I was able to sleep on back for bit as one side was a bit elevated from the pillow and that was a nice change! 

    This is what DH got me: https://www.amazon.com/Pregnancy-Maternity-Contoured-U-Shape-Bluestone/dp/B00DVKJXFE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1516038165&sr=8-5&keywords=u+shaped+pregnancy+pillow
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  • llamamama14llamamama14 member
    edited January 2018
    @harveyabbey77 I see. I don't think I'll mess around with an inflatable one. I had to sleep on an air mattress 8 months pregnant with DD and it got a bit deflated and I threw my back out. (All the relaxin messed with me.)
  • @rnielsen321 I'm with you on the sleep troubles :( I don't remember this happening until much later with DS, but I also didn't have a 1 year old waking me in the middle of the night. Then its so hard to get back to sleep.

    @NamelessAria @harveyabbey77 Good tip with the benadryl. Does it make you drowsy in the morning at all, though? I used to feel so sleepy in the am when I took nyquil (pre baby and nursing). DS wakes up at 5-5:30 every morning so I don't want to feel like more of a zombie than I already do :)
  • @katelynrae86 A little groggy but I didn't think it was detrimental to my day. And I made sure I took it early (around 7:30-8:00), put DD to bed at 8:00, and then got myself into bed at 8:30 and slept until my alarm rang at 6 so I was getting a full nights sleep. 
    Pregnancy Ticker Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • @harveyabbey77
    That sounds glorious. I believe my plans for this evening are such. 

    @katelynrae86 This did happen last time, but DH was unemployed at the time and not coming to bed after the evening shift, and definitely not with a 2yo with night terrors and 2:00 am bottles/freakouts/snuggles. 

    Am literally dragging my worn out self around the office today. COUNTING the minutes until I can go home. 
    Mama to a wonderful DD - Sep 2015, Wife to my DH since 2011, 2 dogs, a cat, and hoping to add No. 2 in May/June 2018. Canadian.
    5 - IUIs, 3 - IVF retrievals, 2- failed transfers (fresh, and frozen), PGS on second IVF resulted in 1 perfect emby, and DD. 
    3rd IVF w PGS resulted in 3! perfect embys. 1st transfer - Sep 2017 2 more on ice. 
  • @katelynrae86 diphenhydramine (Benadryl) doesn't leave me groggy in the morning unless I take it in the middle of the night (like 4am) or I take a ton of it. Just one or two at bedtime and I'm good to go by 6am or so. Doxylamine (what's in unisom, Diclegis, and Nyquil) leaves me super groggy in the morning. I just can't take that stuff if I need to function the next morning. I can only take it when I know I'll somehow be able to have indulgent sleep where i can wake up wherever and it's OK. Like maybe on the weekend if my husband is able to take care of our son while I get some sleep.
    Me: 28 Husband: 31
    TTC#1: January 2015- September 2016
    Infertility, Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
    Rainbow baby born June 6, 2017  ❤️

    Baby #2 due June 12, 2018
    BabyFruit Ticker


  • mytinc said:
    @rnielsen321 - I'd love to tell you that it will pass, but I'm right there with you.  Even when I'm not woken up by a kid or my husband, I'll wake up to pee and find myself awake for no reason for an hour or two.  :( 


    Me too. I find that having a really boring audio book can help. 



    Pregnancy Ticker
  • @Lolalipsy - I tend to listen to audio books on my commute to/from work.  If I turn one one MOTN, I find I get too engrossed in the story and am up even longer.  LOL.

     Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    First Son - born 2013
    Second Son - born 2014 - Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV).  First open heart surgery at 5 days old.  He's had 3 open heart surgeries and several other procedures and is currently doing amazing.
    Third Son - due June 9, 2018
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