Question Thread

breadit124

Also you might be seeing fewer reviews on the extend2fit forever because a lot of people recommend just getting the non forever version of extend2fit. The final stage, booster, is only like $30 to purchase on its own when you’re ready (which is many years in the future). Check reviews for the regular extend2fit if you’re curious for more feedback on it. 

Jens_Hoes

@scaredunprepared
i have the 4ever and my mom has the extend2fit regular version. Neither of us have used them because DD is 15 months and I don’t want to install the seat and then move it when baby comes. But all of the recommendations from my current bmb were to get the extend2fit or milestone from Graco so I know people like it. 
If I could go back and change what I put on my registry I’d not put the forever because likely by the time we need the booster part, the car seat might be expired. I believe they’re only good for 6? Years. 

gorgeousariel

@scaredunprepared I don't have either so take this with a grain of salt. Ladies from my last BMB have talked repeatedly about what a pain it is to have to remove cushions and clean the Extend2fit. Like glass of wine afterwards because it's such an ordeal. 

I have the Evenflo Symphony and love it. It's fairly easy to take off cushions. Just buckles from underneath. Lightwlight  considering* and  easy to move from one car to the next .

katy0990

@scaredunprepared Are you able to go to Buy Buy Baby to see how they fit in your vehicles and how easy to take apart?
FWIW We love the Britax Marathon.

ebk20

Not sure about the Graco but we love our Britax clicktight (we have the advocate and boulevard). Super easy to install and great reviews. Rear facing is definitely a major safety factor but so is proper installation and some carseats are pretty difficult to install. I know that if my DH or grandparents are putting in the carseat it will still be installed correctly.

hoosiermama-2

@scaredunprepared Not to throw a wrench in your plans, but we always highly recommend the Chicco NextFit. After the first time (because, car seats), it's a cinch to install and has fit great in all the cars/SUVs/vans we've put it in. (Though in its rear-facing position, H and I have to have it on the passenger side in our Camrys. Well, he does. I'd probably be fine because I'm 5'2" but..) 
It's rated #1 by Consumer Reports. Yes, regulations are all the same but the universal ease of install and use are huge. k sorry, i'm done 

(Chicco should really pay me because I rave about this car seat)

omnommer

Thanks for all the thoughts re: dad gifts at the shower!

@mrsm224 Multi-vitamins/prenatals make me throw up even when not pregnant unless I've had a full meal with them. (Can't do a snack like a piece of toast, it isn't enough.) So I take mine at lunch or dinner. I can't take it in the morning because of my thyroid medication which I have to take four hours apart from any iron. I usually do lunchtime though because it's just easiest to not have to remember later in the evening.

Jens_Hoes

I take my prenatal when I remember  usually I try for the morning, because by the evening I don't know if I've taken it lol

rosebud332

@scaredunprepared I have the extend2fit regular version and I like it. Seems comfortable for DD and was relatively easy for DH to install. I got it because many people in a FB group I’m in recommended it. I will say, since @gorgeousariel mentioned it, DD threw up in it one time and it was a pain to get the cushions off and on. I think having done it once it would be easier to do it again. I couldn’t find a video to show me how to do part of it so I was flying blind and doing it wrong. However, other than that I’m very happy with it so far.

binxybaby

@echo-charlietango Man, I miss Kansan ice storms. They were so beautiful. I live in Indiana now. My plan is long-sleeve onesies, sleepers, and tons of cozy blankets. I plan to add a few hats and some socks as well. I guess we'll see if that's enough. We usually keep the house around 68-70 in the winter, but still use a fan because white noise is my husband's jam.

scaredunprepared

@maebyemby thanks for the reviews and info about extend to fit and the extend to fit 4ever.  

@Jens_Hoes thanks for the feedback.  I'm definitely taking all of that into consideration now. 

@gorgeousariel I didn't even think about cleaning the cushions. Thanks for the heads up. 

@katy0990 I am able to go to Buy Buy Baby, is it worth the trip to try them out?  

@ebk20 I'm definitely concerned about ease of use and installation. Good to know the britax is easy. 

@hoosiermama-2 we've got the chicco keyfit infant seat per my sister's recommendation.  I didn't think about the next fit for whatever reason, but I'll add it to the list. Thanks!

@rosebud332 thanks for sharing your experience. 

katy0990

@scaredunprepared I definitely think it is because then you can see how much space they take up, especially rear facing. We eliminated some brands, including graco, because MH would not have been able to sit in front of the seat while it was rear facing.

scaredunprepared

@katy0990 thanks for the tip! We may be making that trip this weekend.

hannelorre

@scaredunprepared ditto on the buybuybaby trip to see what's gonna fit in our Camry! Last time we walked in, walked around and touched/lifted 3 car seats (they are heavy!!) and walked out. Haha fx we'll be better this time! 

hoosiermama-2

@scaredunprepared We've used the next fit since DD was born, have one in both of our cars. I just bought a keyfit this week for this LO though!

scaredunprepared

@hoosiermama-2 I've been researching after all the recommendations, and mostly positive reviews for the next fit.  Only negative seems to be price, but apparently people want me to add something expensive to the registry, so this might be it.  I'm thinking after we make the BBB trip this weekend we'll have our decision made.

@hannelorre good luck with your trip to BBB. Hopefully you'll get your decision made too!

mcgeeva

Ladies at what week should we be worrying about kick counts? I know mine usually goes crazy every night from 8-11 ish but last night and this am nothing. About to get a cold coffee to see if I can get her moving. No one wants to be that crazy person calling the doctor office for every little thing.

katy0990

@mcgeeva My doctor doesn’t have me do official kick counts. She said to just make sure that I am feeling daily movement. If I get worried, I am supposed to drink something cold and sugary and laid down on my side for a while to see if I can get baby moving.

Katzalia

@mcgeeva no kick counts here either. My doctor just said if it seems like a big change in usual activity, then drink some cold water, lay down, and pay attention for movement. Otherwise I think the assumption is if you are busy and moving it lulls baby more, as well as you don’t notice movement as much. 

mcgeeva

Thanks ladies! Drinking cold coffee now to see if I can get her moving. 

snugglyduckling25

@mcgeeva since my baby is so active I also don’t do official kick counts unless I’m not sure if I’ve felt him in awhile. My baby is like yours - super active before bed and I almost always feel him when I wake up to roll over at night. The other morning I woke up and realized I hadn’t felt him overnight so I drank OJ and did kick counts on the way to work and got 10 in about 40 minutes. Once I got to work and was just sitting still I noticed he was all over the place.

binxybaby

I've heard that 28 weeks is generally when you should start. If 8-11ish is when your babe is most active, I'd try to do kick counts at that same time everyday. 

PensiveCrayon

I’m so lazy with kick counts. Last night I was thinking I hadn’t felt Theda for a while, but I figured she would wake up/move on her own and eventually she did. Then I felt her hiccups for the first time at 1am!

hoosiermama-2

@scaredunprepared My memory is not what it once was but i think you can use BBB's 20% off coupons on car seats! My mom bought ours and I'm pretty sure she did that. And i think i bought our second one on black friday/cyber monday. 

katy0990

@hoosiermama-2 you can use it on car seats! That’s what we did, too.

scaredunprepared

@hoosiermama-2 and @katy0990 thanks for the tip, good to know!  

katy0990

@scaredunprepared  also, at this point we are less than 60 days from Black Friday. So, if you make a purchase now, but find it cheaper at that point, you can always return it.

scaredunprepared

@katy0990 ooooh good point!

snugglyduckling25

To anyone who has gotten the tdap vaccine - how long did your arm hurt afterwards? The last time I received my vaccine was 9 years ago (I don’t think they had started recommending the vaccine during pregnancy yet?) and I don’t remember it being this bad. I received it on Friday and couldn’t even lift my arm above my shoulder yesterday and was exhausted and worn down. Today it’s a little better, but I wish I had asked for it in my non-dominant arm now! 

morgantu

@snugglyduckling25 mine definitely hurt for 2-3days after. I kept thinking I was sore for some reason, then would remember. I hadn't had one in a long time and it was also more rough than I anticipated. Hopefully tomorrow is better for you! 

hoosiermama-2

@snugglyduckling25 I got my tdap (and flu) Thursday morning. It killed Thursday-Friday. Was good enough to go to Topgolf Saturday evening but hurt when I leaned/put pressure on it. Still ached when I put pressure on it (like just leaning on a pillow on the couch haha) yesterday. Today feels back to normal unless I rub around the area. 

kadeephd

@snugglyduckling25 I don't remember being bothered by the tdap shot too much, but it probably depends on how it went in.  Maybe I got lucky and my nurse hit a good spot.  I've definitely had the soreness for days with other shots.

westcoastfoodie

@omnommer I love the ideas that were proposed already for a dad gift! My DH found a diaper bag that he really liked that was more masculine and he asked for that. It was like a military style tactical bag. Our regular one is just a black backpack style one so not like it's super girly, but this other one made him feel like he had something of his own. He hates how I keep the diaper bag so it works to have two lol.

@katy0990 We used the SwaddleMe swaddles for a while and they worked like a dream. After that, just the cotton Halo sleep sacks and I think Aden and Anais makes muslin ones that might be a little cooler temp wise!

CecilB93

Got both the flu shot and tdap today, one in each arm. So far just sore if I touch the area. I don't remember being super sore last pregnancy? Guess we'll see! 

ETA edited some stuff out, thought I was in the appointment thread, I'll post there lol

Jens_Hoes

@CecilB93 I got one in each arm on Thursday at my last appt, and they were only really sore for a day and hurt to lay on while sleeping.  Last night the flu shot arm hurt still to lie on, but that is my dominant arm so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it.

maureenmce

Anyone else doing a bassinet type thing in your room for the first 6 months and want to recommend what bassinet (or similar) you're going with? We were going to do the Babyletto mini crib (and we still might) but I'm just thinking that may be more substantial and expensive than what we really need, since we already have a full crib for him to transition to once he's old enough not to disturb his big sister's sleep. But I also want something super safe (I'm very paranoid re: safe sleep.) Any recs? Thanks in advance!

snugglyduckling25

So it sounds like I should be getting there as far as pain. It’s still a little painful to raise my arm and sleeping on it is a definite no. I realized that there is no way it hurt this much last time because they used to give it after you had the baby, I definitely would remember this much pain in an arm while taking care of a newborn. Who knows why, at least it’s slowly feeling better. 

PensiveCrayon

@maureenmce maybe a Pack n play? I’m going to be switching Theda into that once she outgrows the bassinet because I’m too cheap to buy a second crib. 

maureenmce

@PensiveCrayon That is probably the most rational option, I just never used a pack n play before so I'm not familiar with it! I should go and check some out at Target. Btw, if I haven't mentioned it before, I just adore the name Theda! Excellent choice! 

hkom

STMs+, when do these postpartum porn boobs go away?!  I feel ridiculous and very very uncomfortable 

ETA:  They're not engorged. They're just fucking enormous.