@jemmerjams I would go with the August one. We are doing ours the second and third weekend in September with a due date of Oct 25. I think I will be 33/34 weeks.
@knottieamusements 6 to 8 weeks seems super early to me!! It's either I end 4 weeks or 8 weeks early, or do a condensed 2 day class or worse, one all day class. As is, the August "4 week" class is only 3 weeks because of labor day, so i imagine it's going to be a lot or info in 3 sessions.
We did our childbirth and CPR classes in September, and DS was born in the beginning of December. I didn’t feel like it was too early, and it wasn’t like I forgot anything. Also, we did our childbirth classes on a Saturday and Sunday, 4 hours each. We couldn’t stomach having an obligation to go to week after week.
This one. Oh, and just for future reference, it’s based on due date, not birth date. Or at least that’s what I remember from when I downloaded it after DD was born.
I paid 99 cents for the wonder week app and I greatly appreciated it. It's also a book of you're inclined to buy and read.
My advice for the month: expect to break all expectations. If you swear you will never to this or that as a parent, you'll probably do it. I swore I would never bed share and here we are 2.5 years later still cuddling in bed. I also thought I'd be strict with tv, but right now PJ Masks is saving my life because I'm too tired and have a headache and it's keeping my energetic kid calm and letting me sit on my old pregnant ass after work. You must never know what it's going to be like so be open and go with the flow!
@jemmerjams We did a childbirth class (one day condensed with a hospital tour) at 36 weeks. I had left the hospital (with doctor permission) to go to the class then returned to the hospital right after because I was swelling and had high bp. I ended up being on the tour my class was taking and admitted that night. I delivered at 37 weeks. On the upside, the information was very fresh in our minds!
The wonder weeks book was helpful for me since it included a little more detail in the lists of what your baby is working on and had developmentally appropriate games and toys for each leap. You can get it used pretty cheap, it’s not worth buying it new.
re: childbirth class. Take the earlier class. I know several people who never made it to their class since they went into labor early. Also, we had one couple in our class that was a week or two out from delivery and she was MISERABLE the whole class (it was an all day class instead of multiple weeks) so that’s something to consider.
If you plan on bfing, learn about lip tie and tongue tie. Many lactation consultants don't check for it and it can be such a hindrance if you are not familiar with it. My first I ended up exclusively pumping for a year because I wasn't aware of the lt/tt. By the time we fixed it, he was used to bottles and it was too much work going back to breast since I was already back at work. My second we checked in the hospital, LC also checked and we had his corrected a few weeks later. We successfully nursed for over a year and even with my supply from only one breast (long story). Nursing is so much easier than pumping and feeding. I'm glad I EP with DS1 but with DS2 it was so many less bottles to wash, less prep, less work = more enjoyable.
Just remind yourself that all moms have been a first time mom at some point. Their tips and pointers are because their kid responded a certain way. Kids are different therefore all our advice will be different and based off the reactions of our own. Try not to fret about too much. You are not doing it wrong. Go with your kid's flow and get to know them. Things will go a lot smoother if you stop listening to the advice and listen to your kid. It's okay to ask for advice but turn it into something that works for you. No need to follow things down to the letter.
I paid 99 cents for the wonder week app and I greatly appreciated it. It's also a book of you're inclined to buy and read.
My advice for the month: expect to break all expectations. If you swear you will never to this or that as a parent, you'll probably do it. I swore I would never bed share and here we are 2.5 years later still cuddling in bed. I also thought I'd be strict with tv, but right now PJ Masks is saving my life because I'm too tired and have a headache and it's keeping my energetic kid calm and letting me sit on my old pregnant ass after work. You must never know what it's going to be like so be open and go with the flow!
I hear ya on the electronics. Sunday when we got home from Greenfield Village I had told SS no tablet. DH and I both were exhausted and passed out, we let SS play on his tablet. *shrug*
@jemmerjams +1 for the earlier class. My doctor said after 32 weeks so the information is fresh but no later than 36 because you’re uncomfortable and your appointments get closer together.
Re: childbirth class - my OB said most people do it here sometime around 28 weeks, so I'm doing the one in July. I'd be 28 wks about in the middle of it.
Everyone says that breastfeeding will help you lose the weight. That's not true for everyone. I felt like everything I read made it seam like the pounds would just melt off and I was super disappointed and frustrated that it wasn't happening for me. I gained 35lbs and never ended up losing the last 10.
@KFrob same here. I had supply issues so that maybe played a role, but I also ate a lot while nursing because I was always hungry. It was really hard to lose the last 10 for me, and I barely did before I was pregnant again, so yeah... 13 months to lose 40 pounds.
@KFrob So much yes! I was so much more hungry while BFing than while pregnant. I was also too scared to cut calories because I didn't want to affect my supply. I was stuck with the last 5 pounds until I got pregnant again and couldn't eat much due to morning sickness.
Everyone says that breastfeeding will help you lose the weight. That's not true for everyone. I felt like everything I read made it seam like the pounds would just melt off and I was super disappointed and frustrated that it wasn't happening for me. I gained 35lbs and never ended up losing the last 10.
So. Much. This. It makes you burn calories like crazy, but guess what... it also makes you way hungrier to compensate for that. My baby weight from #2 fell right off in the week after delivery, but then another 10lbs showed when I stopped breastfeeding as often because the nursing slowed down way faster than the crazy eating.
I'm a runner, and since I'm not due until the end of October, I'm sure I won't be out for running until spring time. How old should the baby be before I'm off in a running stroller? I'm figuring he will be at least 5 months by the time I'm up for running outside.
I'm also torn because my mom still has my stroller from when I was an baby and she wants me to use that too. I'm just worried about functionality. It's beautiful, but the whole frame is metal and I'm just worried about lugging it around (the bassinet swaps out to an upright seat), but how fun will that be to get in and out of my truck?! I'll have that and the running stroller. My "convenience" brain is thinking I want a carrier/carseat for infant that will clip into my regular (new) stroller so I'm not having to move baby if he's sleeping. Picture below is something similar to what my stroller looks like.
Everyone says that breastfeeding will help you lose the weight. That's not true for everyone. I felt like everything I read made it seam like the pounds would just melt off and I was super disappointed and frustrated that it wasn't happening for me. I gained 35lbs and never ended up losing the last 10.
So. Much. This. It makes you burn calories like crazy, but guess what... it also makes you way hungrier to compensate for that. My baby weight from #2 fell right off in the week after delivery, but then another 10lbs showed when I stopped breastfeeding as often because the nursing slowed down way faster than the crazy eating.
I noticed a lot of weight fluctuation around pumping. I nursed DD, and lost weight at my normal rate... then when I went back to work and started pumping 3x/day, I suddenly dropped an extra 5-7 pounds (yay!). But then when I stopped pumping (still nursing 1-2x a day), I immediately gained 10 pounds because of the decrease in metabolism. It definitely can do screwy things to your metabolism.
I'm a runner, and since I'm not due until the end of October, I'm sure I won't be out for running until spring time. How old should the baby be before I'm off in a running stroller? I'm figuring he will be at least 5 months by the time I'm up for running outside.
I'm also torn because my mom still has my stroller from when I was an baby and she wants me to use that too. I'm just worried about functionality. It's beautiful, but the whole frame is metal and I'm just worried about lugging it around (the bassinet swaps out to an upright seat), but how fun will that be to get in and out of my truck?! I'll have that and the running stroller. My "convenience" brain is thinking I want a carrier/carseat for infant that will clip into my regular (new) stroller so I'm not having to move baby if he's sleeping. Picture below is something similar to what my stroller looks like.
@babyptobe- I think 6 months is the 'minimum' for running with baby.
And that is tough about the stroller. It is so sweet and really beautiful, but I think functionality is going to be so important (especially in the winter months!). Personally I would buy a new/regular stroller, and then take the gift from my mom and use it for quiet walks around the neighborhood or if you're going somewhere special.
My parents gave me my highchair from when I was a baby. It is a beautiful piece of furniture. I accepted it with the caveat that I may choose to never use it; my parents are okay with that, and even if they weren’t, I will still do what I think is best for me and Blast.
Do y'all like going out of town with a baby without your significant others?
I'll be a SAHM, so I'm hoping to go visit my brother in CA and my folks in GA when he's 6+ months old. Thoughts? My husband thinks I'll be super over it by day 4 haha
This sounds terrible, but many times traveling without DH is easier than traveling with. Coparenting is tough. When it's just you and your LO, you get to make all the decisions
@sliztee if you have help from others when you get there, I would maybe consider it, but otherwise, for me it would be too much. Traveling with a newborn/infant was hard enough for me with DH there to help out, and I couldn’t imagine doing it alone. I know people do all the time, but it seems like more work than it’s worth to me. Not sure what methods you would be traveling (car/plane), but with all the stuff you need for baby, I think flying alone would be tough. Again, people do it all the time (and I give them major props), but it’s not easy.
@sliztee I took DS to Ohio for a mom meet up when he was 13 months old, and it was great! It was a big challenge for sure, but I looked at it like this: if I can take a baby by myself across the country and survive, I can do anything. We were only away for a few days, and I was definitely ready to be home and back to the routine, but it was fun, just me and my little sidekick.
I think traveling with a 6 month old is easier than what I did. DS was crawling and very close to walking, so keeping him content on the plane that long was hard - thank god for the tons of snacks I brought. A 6 month old still just kinda sits there, so the restlessness is less, you know?
This sounds terrible, but many times traveling without DH is easier than traveling with. Coparenting is tough. When it's just you and your LO, you get to make all the decisions
Also, full disclosure, my kid is 3 and I've never flown with her because I'm terrifiied. So driving yes, but flying might be a different ballgame. And the younger they are, the easier it is. 6 months will be easier than once they are mobile and sleeping less, as others have said.
I also like to think that the plane ride is a very small portion of the trip. I don't want to focus on the negative, but embrace the fact that we'll be with loved ones, which means there are babysitters/holders on deck when momma needs a glass of wine.
I have no experience as I'm a FTM but I have heard from many of my mom friends that travelling when the kid is under a year is SO much easier than over a year. Yes they may require more "gear" but they are not mobile and as fussy as a toddler. If you breastfeed then I would be even easier to travel with a baby.
I'm hoping to go down to FL with my MIL when baby is 5 months without DH. I likely will need to travel solo home as MIL will stay longer than we do.
Me 33 DH 41 TTC since 2016 Due: October 12, 2018 Location: Ontario, Canada
@sliztee I’ve flown with my son by myself. It really isn’t all that bad. It’s a lot easier when you are seeing/visiting people as well! They could potentially have/borrow some of the bigger essentials (pnp, bouncer) so you don’t have to worry about it. You can also send a box of diapers ahead so that you don’t have to lug those around as well. I take my diaper bag as my purse/carry on to cut down on what I needed to bring with me, but if you have a travel system, you can gate check the car seat and the stroller so that you have that to help. I bring my carrier with me to help free up my hands when necessary.
I think I'd much rather travel with an infant than my 6yo who looks so upset when we talk about how long the car rides for camping will be this summer!
@sliztee I took DD from GA to MI to see family by myself when she was 3 months old and it was so much easier than I thought. I drove and at that age, she just slept the whole 11 hour drive. I'm actually planning on doing it again by myself in a couple weeks and she will be 16-17 months then. My H can never go because of his work schedule.
And if you do come to GA we can meet up for a play date!
Re: Advice for First Time Moms (June)
TTC since 2016
Due: October 12, 2018
Location: Ontario, Canada
My advice for the month: expect to break all expectations. If you swear you will never to this or that as a parent, you'll probably do it. I swore I would never bed share and here we are 2.5 years later still cuddling in bed. I also thought I'd be strict with tv, but right now PJ Masks is saving my life because I'm too tired and have a headache and it's keeping my energetic kid calm and letting me sit on my old pregnant ass after work. You must never know what it's going to be like so be open and go with the flow!
re: childbirth class. Take the earlier class. I know several people who never made it to their class since they went into labor early. Also, we had one couple in our class that was a week or two out from delivery and she was MISERABLE the whole class (it was an all day class instead of multiple weeks) so that’s something to consider.
Me 32 and DH 40
Fur-baby named Bella
1 MC Nov. 2013
DD born Nov. 2, 2014
Little 2 EDD Oct. 1
I'm also torn because my mom still has my stroller from when I was an baby and she wants me to use that too. I'm just worried about functionality. It's beautiful, but the whole frame is metal and I'm just worried about lugging it around (the bassinet swaps out to an upright seat), but how fun will that be to get in and out of my truck?! I'll have that and the running stroller. My "convenience" brain is thinking I want a carrier/carseat for infant that will clip into my regular (new) stroller so I'm not having to move baby if he's sleeping. Picture below is something similar to what my stroller looks like.
I noticed a lot of weight fluctuation around pumping. I nursed DD, and lost weight at my normal rate... then when I went back to work and started pumping 3x/day, I suddenly dropped an extra 5-7 pounds (yay!). But then when I stopped pumping (still nursing 1-2x a day), I immediately gained 10 pounds because of the decrease in metabolism. It definitely can do screwy things to your metabolism.
@babyptobe- I think 6 months is the 'minimum' for running with baby.
And that is tough about the stroller. It is so sweet and really beautiful, but I think functionality is going to be so important (especially in the winter months!). Personally I would buy a new/regular stroller, and then take the gift from my mom and use it for quiet walks around the neighborhood or if you're going somewhere special.
That is a really beautiful stroller!
My parents gave me my highchair from when I was a baby. It is a beautiful piece of furniture. I accepted it with the caveat that I may choose to never use it; my parents are okay with that, and even if they weren’t, I will still do what I think is best for me and Blast.
I'll be a SAHM, so I'm hoping to go visit my brother in CA and my folks in GA when he's 6+ months old. Thoughts? My husband thinks I'll be super over it by day 4 haha
I think traveling with a 6 month old is easier than what I did. DS was crawling and very close to walking, so keeping him content on the plane that long was hard - thank god for the tons of snacks I brought. A 6 month old still just kinda sits there, so the restlessness is less, you know?
ETA: YEAH, I KNOW I'M NAIVE. WHATEVER.
I'm hoping to go down to FL with my MIL when baby is 5 months without DH. I likely will need to travel solo home as MIL will stay longer than we do.
TTC since 2016
Due: October 12, 2018
Location: Ontario, Canada
And if you do come to GA we can meet up for a play date!