Weekly Questions 3/3

aukeev

@mkrel I'm a FTM, but MH has always talked about how he wishes we could skip the newborn stage and jump to "when they're fun and can do stuff." It frustrates me, but I also think it may just stem from him not really being a nurturer, where that's my predisposition. 

WinchesterGirl

DH is pretty good about the newborn phase, but he didn't LOVE IT like I do. I am also in the 1st year fan club. They are so tiny and sweet and I'll give up all the sleep of those wise eyes just staring at you. And the first smile? Oh, I'm toast. DH is an amazing help but I did my best to let him get sleep when possible since he had to go back to work & I was always scared of him driving so far so tired. 

So he would get up to change any MOTN diapers then hand off to me and go right back to sleep. I would nurse/cuddle/settle back down but didn't have to get out of bed. It was a very good routine for us once we figured it out. 

peachy0709

I am a disliker of the NB stage, too.  DH is fine with it.  I LOVE sassy toddler phase of 3-5. It's to each their own though - I have a lot of friends that cannot handle tantrums and they just don't bother me the way a baby who cannot communicate their wants and needs stresses me out. 

Twinkiedoll

@mkrel I personally didn't love the newborn stage for DD.  But I had trouble breastfeeding (ended up exclusively pumping).  I hated having to wake up every three hours to pump to build up supply.  We live with my in-laws, but my mom was in town for the baby.  Having everyone under one roof was very stressful.  It was all terrible.  I'm not looking forward to doing it again.  I'm hoping we can finally find a house we can afford before the baby comes.

mkrel

It's interesting to hear everyone's opinions on the stages! @Twinkiedoll I hope you can find something too, that would add a lot of additional stress! 
@oklahomak I actually said things similar to what your husband did before we had our daughter, and I ended up feeling the complete opposite.  He thought I was crazy for thinking that, but now he's the one that would happily bypass 0-18 months so you never know! 

Another question for you guys... is anyone avoiding nitrates? I never did with my daughter and my OB is laid back in general on food restrictions, but one of my pregnant friends is avoiding them like the plague due to carcinogens? Just curious if anyone else has heard this or is avoiding them.  

sourlemon

@mkrel heads of it but not avoiding them. Too delicious. Anyone who is avoiding bacon is crazy in my book.

mkrel

@sourlemon Right?! I just feel like they are in everything. My Mom made spaghetti with Italian Sausage on Monday- nitrates, I just looked at a frozen pizza I wanted for lunch- nitrates, BACON as you said- nitrates.  I never restricted them before and clearly haven't made a change at this point.  

BigBadWolf12

Question for STM+s: 
How much of a buffer would you give around your due date for starting your toddler in preschool? 

Where I live you sign up in a queue system and is a long process,  etc. We were not expecting to have a baby born in August 2019 when we put our son on the queue in January 2018 to start in August 2019. So his stay date is 1 august.  My due date is 4. Hahaha.  No. Is it better to request a July start date?  How far in advance?  Or a September/October start date?  How far later?

I don't want too much change at once for anyone,  plus germs, plus I don't want him feeling like we are replacing him with the baby. Thanks! 

WinchesterGirl

@mkrel I do avoid nitrates in general, not just for pregnancy. But some are naturally occurring in food and I don't worry about those. I try to avoid most food additives where possible though!

sourlemon

@BigBadWolf12 I'd say 4-6 weeks before you realistically expect to have the baby. 

peachy0709

@BigBadWolf12 - I'm due at the end of August and we're switching DD2 to a new preschool at the beginning of the month.  Part of it is how their "school year" runs.  DD1 will be starting Kindergarten around then so it's going to be an interesting time in our household.  My parents are going to be on call DD2's first week to help out if she's having a hard time adjusting. 

BigBadWolf12

@sourlemon ok, that's what dh and I were thinking "ideally". We get back from Canada 4-5 weeks before the due date,  hopefully ds can start part time then....but July spots are hard to get bc most of the country goes on holidays in July lol.

@peachy0709. Yes,  the "school year" makes august start easy and everything else not as easy.  Didn't think of this when we started ttc haha.  But with the trouble we had getting ds we wouldn't have delayed anyways.