Weekly Questions 5/12

purplg8r

What questions do you have this week?

suzycupcake

Do boobs grow bigger when milk comes in? I'm trying to determine how much bigger mine might get before I go buying bras. I've already gone up one band size and one cup size. How many nursing bras does someone need?

Allycat11

@suzycupcake  Mine definitely get bigger while nursing but I find it hard to figure out sizing until after milk comes in. I usually have 3-4 regular nursing bras plus a few stretchy ones for sleep/lounging. 

olivemomma

Mine got bigger as well although your size will fluctuate throughout the day as milk comes in and then baby eats. I found that stretchier bras that allowed more give and take worked best. Number of bras really depends on so many things, leaking being a big one (some women leak much more than others and obviously not something you will know until you are there) and also how often you want to do laundry. I would recommend at least 3-4 at a minimum plus some good supportive nursing tanks. I personally could not sleep without a bra or nursing tank for several months after each baby so needed way more. 

aecm

@suzycupcake - Yes, they will definitely grow more with milk and as @olivemomma said, they can fluctuate a lot during the day. The general recommendation I heard my first time around was to buy some sports bras in advance of delivery so you have something for the first week or two, but to go get fitted for your “regular” nursing bras after your milk comes in (and to go when you’re pretty full). I meant to do that, but got lazy and just used the sports bras for almost a year 😂

suzycupcake

Thanks ladies. I was thinking of getting these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076D7HN1R and some nursing pads. Are these bras the type of stretchy you're talking about?  

@aecm Sports bras for an entire year sounds great in my book. Anything to feel comfortable right now omg. 

BigBadWolf12

@Suzycupcake those are the types of bras I wore most of the time (almost 100% until like 8 months pp when I finally got a "real" nursing bra bc I had weddings coming up, and the stretchy bras weren't cutting it for support bc I had lost a bunch of weight so the band size was too big at that time. They fit again now that im *expanding* and are just as comfy as ever

BigBadWolf12

The only downside: they're thin so unless you get decent nursing pads that work with your size/shape, it can be OBVIOUS you're wearing nursing pads.  I didn't care at home so I saved my more discreet nursing pads for outings.  (Bamboobies heart shaped ones were pretty decent. They're thin but absorbant too, though I changed pretty regularly anyways - at least every 3 hours around the clock for a while... I had other circle shaped washable pads that are comfy for at home but bunched or were a bit thick to go out in.)

olivemomma

Yea regarding nursing pads (I need to find mine!) bamboomies were comfy and it’s nice they are washable but did almost nothing for me for about 6 months - I overproduce so have a major leak issue. I had to buy throw aways with plastic backing for a long time (especially at night) or they just did nothing for me. I hope most of you fair better than I did there!

@suzycupcake I think those are fine! I also got some off of Amazon by Viveko and ilovesia. The second also makes some nice nursing gowns with the built in nursing bras for bedtime.

wabash15

+1 to loving bamboobies.. they are super absorbent and washable and don't show through... @olivemomma did you have the overnight versions? 
@suzycupcake I love the bravado body silk seamless nursing bras.. they are not the sexiest things (though do come in fun colors) but they are supportive, and grow/shrink with you. They have also held up to the test of time... I have been wearing my for more than 4 years. also their nursing tanks are super supportive. with real straps and not just those flimsy spaghetti straps.

MamaK225

@suzycupcake - Like everyone else said, everyone is different and you won't really know until the time comes. But - yeah - I've got 6-8 pair of those and they're fabulous. I don't wear them in public because I've got massive boobs and even when they're completely full and beautiful during BF ... they need more support (actual support, not for aesthetic purposes). Because BF boobs are still REALLY sore most of the time. With my first, I gained a band and two cups (and they never went down). So far with this one, I'm on the edge of going up a band and so far I'm up 1.5 cups, though I'm still officially slightly down/flat with pre-preggo weight. If you ARE looking for a great underwire bra (many refuse to wear them while BF, but I still prefer them when wearing "real" clothes), I HIGHLY suggest Bella Materna Sexy T-Shirt Nursing bra (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HCB4IQC/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_StT2Cb4H59BDP) - and if you need a larger size (they go up to E and F cups on Amazon), ordering directly from them is great, too (I'm currently in a 36J so ... hard to find ). But they aren't the most BF-friendly. They do work, but given the small amount of padding (which is great for catching leaks!), it can be awkward if you prefer to lift the entirety of your breast out of the cup. Overall, in my experience, they grow/shrink according to feeding schedules, but you won't know your "range" until you get there, which can be frustrating. Those stretchy bras are definitely worth it for the first few weeks until you figure out where you stand and can order a "real" bra, if you so choose.

emqbee

I read a little blurb about Megan Markles pregnancy diet and it has me feeling like a failure...so I’m curious, what has your diet been like? Have you gotten back to a level of normal after the first tri? What does your normal consist of?

BigBadWolf12

@emqbee idk about megan's diet.... I'll look it up. But my diet has been normal for me (while avoiding all my son's allergens,  so not normal for most people). Rice,  meats,  before,  fruit. Homemade baked goods.  More candy and chocolate than I should admit,  but I figure I don't get cheese or bread,  so mama needs another type of treat 😂

sourlemon

@emqbee im sure if i had unlimited money, no real job, no other kids, a nutritionist, probably a chef, and all the other staff that she has, my diet would be better too.

But I live in the real world, with 2 kids under 5, and I eat a lot of chicken nuggets.

mia8263

@emqbee I dunno how some women can keep such a strict diet while pregnant. All 3 of my pregnancies I’ve been sick and nauseas. Now I’m able to have salad for lunch so I feel better about that but I used to eat oatmeal for breakfast pre-pregnancy and I can’t stand the smell of it now. This baby also doesn’t let me eat meat. No I shouldn’t eat a donut for dinner but if that’s all I can get down I’m doing it. I do fantasize about getting in the best shape after this pregnancy so I don’t feel stuck in this unhealthy lifestyle. I’m doing my best. 

BigBadWolf12

I didn't even find anything about her diet other than
A.) vegan and gluten free during the week mostly sort of (and if anything she cheated more on this during pregnancy than pre pregnancy anyways)
B.) no soft cheeses,  alcohol,  unpasteurized stuff,  raw fish etc that *most* pregnant women avoid anyways

So idk what you guys found

Edit B. Not  

aukeev

@emqbee My diet at dinner time and on weekends hasn't changed much, and honestly isn't great. Both DH and I hate cooking, so we end up snacking or eating out at dinner time quite a bit. Because of that, I've been trying to be more conscious of what I'm eating for breakfast and lunch during pregnancy (I also ate essentially 100% carbs in the first tri...). For breakfast I usually do an easy smoothie or decaf iced coffee (unsweetened) with some fruit. At lunch I almost always just pack a "grazing" box.

Here are some of my favorite easy, healthy things I've been doing:

Smoothies (I pre-make smoothie packs at the beginning of the week, and sometimes I'll throw a handful of fresh spinach in the blender in the mornings):
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup orange juice (I have a juicer so when I'm doing good, I'll juice on Sundays then save it for smoothies to get some extra benefits from the oranges), 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup mixed frozen berries, 1/2 frozen banana, 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, splash of vanilla

Lunch Boxes (I prefer to snack throughout the day than eat a full meal. My lunch box usually contains about 6 of the items below in a snack-size quantity and I graze all day at my desk. I can pack all of them on Sunday afternoon with very minimal prep work and it ends up being very affordable.):
- Tillamook cheddar cheese 
- Summer sausage
- Triscuits or other fiber-rich cracker
- Black grapes
- Apple with peanut butter/other nut butter
- 2 Cuties/Halos
- About 3 carrots, peeled (baby carrots weird me out, no clue why)
- Halved grape tomatoes and cucumber slices with sea salt and black pepper
- Banana
- Sugar snap peas
- Raw broccoli and/or cauliflower
- Natural popcorn
- Handful of almonds or pecans
- Plain Greek yogurt and fresh berries
- Boiled egg
- Half an avocado with black pepper (I spray a little bit of lime juice on each half to help keep them from browning so quickly)
- Now that it's summer, I'll probably cut a watermelon each week and keep a tub in our office fridge. I. Love. Watermelon.

Allycat11

My diet has been awful. Too many empty carbs, fast food and sweets. This is a pregnancy where nausea is not letting up so I am just eating what I can, when I can. We know that when I am pregnant I cook less and we just accept that it is always a season of life where our eating habits are not the best. 

mkrel

I eat whatever I want when I'm pregnant.  It worked for me last time and I'm doing it again.  If my weight gain starts getting out of control, I'll make changes, but if i want ice cream, cake, taco bell, etc I eat it.  I am waiting on the results of my GTT, which I should have tomorrow, so hopefully I don't have to make a change! 
Since this is our last baby, I plan to get fairly strict with my diet a few months post partum, so for now I'm just enjoying the splurges of being pregnant.  

thirdtimesacharm2019

@mkrel that pretty much sums up my “diet” 😜

emqbee

Thanks guys! I also had the thought of ‘well yeah I could do that with a personal chef at my dosposal’. It just made me curious. I read that she ate super clean, organic, nothing processed, no fast food/empty calories etc. In a perfect princess world that’s doable. I don’t live a perfect princess life 😂
I’ve kinda adopted the if it sounds good that’s what I’m having mentality. Sometimes that’s a donut for dinner. Or breakfast. And sometimes it’s a delicious salad with grilled chicken. I feel guilty when I go a few days of not eating great...and she reminds me she needs good stuff too because I usually wind up puking after fast food now

olivemomma

Yea I think I would eat better if my pregnancy and life were on display for the world to see...

olivemomma

@wabash15 yep I had the overnight ones too! I think my boobs believe I have about 4 kids to feed with each pregnancy - takes me months to properly regulate 😬

MamaK225

@emqbee - Per another subject, my first trimester is mostly governed by whatever foods don't piss off my gallbladder: lots of fresh fruit & veggies, minimal meats (relying mostly on beans and eggs), LOTS of dairy (IDK why, dairy settles my stomach instead of upsetting it like it does for many), and plain rice & pasta. And I ended up losing almost 15 lbs (I started out the pregnancy heavy, though pretty close to how I did with DD1).

Second trimester is pretty normal stuff, but I try to keep my protein up since I go through periods of not being able to eat much (see: progesterone is a bitch to the GI-tract) - and tried to insert some fried foods in there for additional fats to help keep things *going.* Eating more meat, but still only about 4-5 servings a week and mostly red meat (chicken aversion). This resulted in a gain of 15 lbs in this trimester in each pregnancy.

Third trimester will likely be similar to the second: making sure I get sufficient nutrition, in case I'm not able to eat large portions. However, with DD1, I was able to eat unlimited quantities of anything/everything and gained 20 lbs during this time.

Overall, I've got a pretty clean diet. Unfortunately, we do eat out a lot, but it's mostly non-fast food places so there is a bit more variety and healthful options that fall into my normal comfort zone/palate. But keeping up with a Toddler who needs near-constant entertainment (and restraints from running amok) prevents me from eating full meals most of the time ... so I guess that offsets any less-than-ideal food choices I may make due to a wayward craving.

From everything I've read/heard, the weight you gain is only partially attributable to your diet. Some people are inclined to gain more (mostly those who began pregnancy underweight) and some don't need to gain much at all. The average baby is somewhere between 6.5-8.5 lbs and if you add that to the extra blood, other fluids, and placenta it will total anywhere between 20-40 lbs (which is why those are the "normal" or recommended gain ranges). As always, there are outliers, but I wouldn't be too concerned with the number on the scale unless it begins to impact your blood pressure or other factors that can complicate later pregnancy or birth.

Some "recent" examples from my family:
My sister (#1): +25, left hospital down 25 pounds (ALL baby); baby born at 7 lbs, 4 oz at 40+10 - she was 24 and had been in great shape (ahtletic/muscular shape) beforehand
My sister (#2): +50; was down 40 lbs within a week of birth (net of 10 gained); baby born at 7 lbs, 10 oz at 40+10, she was 26 and had started this pregnancy at her lowest weight (about what she weighed in HS)
Me (#1): Gained a net of 20 with DD1 (-15, +15, +20); left the hospital down 35 pounds (so 35 lbs of baby for a net loss in pregnancy of 15 lbs); baby born at 6 lbs, 9 oz at 40+1 - I was 33 y.o. and had started heavier (180 on 5'7" frame, wearing size 8), but it was from muscle built up during HIIT/CrossFit
Me (#2): Sitting at +2 just a few days before 3rd trimester (-13, +15, ?); I'll be delivering either at 39+0 or 39+5 and expect the baby to be somewhere near 6.5 lbs; I'll be 36 and started out same pre-preggo weight but with significantly less muscle/mommy fat (size 12 instead of a trimmer size 8)  

jmesue1030

I try to be fairly good during the week and then weekends are a free for all 😀 weekday breakfast is usually avocado toast, oatmeal, or eggs and toast + a banana, I usually eat one of those salad kits in a bag for lunch (the whole thing!) an apple and a yogurt, and dinner just kind of depends on what DH or I make but could be tacos, lasagna, pasta, salmon, etc... weekends we eat out more and we usually make a big breakfast with bacon, waffles, eggs, etc on Sundays. It’s all about balance ya know!? 

heml

@emqbee I’m eating a LOT more sweets and carbs than I would normally eat but sometimes when I’m starving and nothing sounds good (especially in the evening), if it’s all that sounds good, I go with it. I try to mix in salads for lunches and I can’t get enough fruit. Generally, though, my diet was muchhhh better/cleaner when not pregnant. I’m still trying to “exercise” 2-3 times a week, so I figure as long as I’m doing some moving to counteract the banana pudding, everything’s gonna be fine. (Besides, I’m not being professionally photographed in a white outfit a few days after birth...) 

Avrilmai

@emqbee I don't really follow a "diet" like many of the other ladies I'm just trying to focus on eating food I can tolerate. The one thing I am trying to be conscious of is getting enough protein and calcium. (I don't eat red meat and don't drink cow's milk.) but my OB said almond milk is just as good. So i've tried to add that to my diet. I've also developed a sweet tooth so I'm trying to have yogurt and fruit instead of a snickers...it doesn't always go that way. 

cato99

I think I need to incorporate more protein. I'm eating a little more cookies and ice cream than I normally would, but overall my diet is ok. I don't eat fast food or processed food. If we do get take-out I always order a salad along with my non-salad stuff to make sure I have a balanced meal. As I've mentioned a lot already, ha, I'm heading towards a probably inevitable GD diagnosis just based on history, so my diet is going to get a LOT more strict. So for now I'm allowing myself those cookies and ice cream. 

suzycupcake

@cato99 I hope that the diagnosis doesn’t happen this time around and that you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite things longer. You just gave me an idea to put some ice cream and protein powder in a blender. 

Beauxbaton

Garbage. My diet is garbage. I've been sick and exhausted this whole pregnancy. So we have eaten out a lot. And Coke seems to actually make my stomach feel better and my heartburn less. I try to keep it to one coke a day though. And I try to drink enough water. But there's a lot of chicken nuggets and a lot cereal going down. I also have three kids to feed. So basically anything quick, easy, and relatively cheap.

Twinkiedoll

My diet has generally been the same as it's always been, except for the prohibited foods.  However,   I bought five pints of ice cream, one pack of Kit Kat drumsticks, and two packs of Ben & Jerry's pint slices last week because I went to the grocery store unsupervised, stressed, and hungry.  So I guess that's my diet now.  Lol. 

lovelikestardust

My diet has improved some in the second trimester, but was terrible in the first. Then, the only things that didn't make me sick were liquids (water/juice/Gatorade/ensure) and carbs (mashed potatoes/toast/cream of wheat/digestive biscuits/cookies). I'm mostly back to a normal diet now, and so happy to be able to have fruits and veggies again. Meat has been bothering me again for the past week though, so I'm going to cut that out for a few days and see how I feel. 

Allycat11

@Twinkiedoll we always joke that you can tell I am pregnant just by looking at what food we have in the kitchen. I buy way more junk that is usually not allowed in our house. For Easter candy I went way overboard as a result of being hungry, pregnant snd unsupervised in the grocery store. 

On the how's the diet going note...today for lunch I had an icee and a pack of starbursts. I never get icees but between volunteering at DDs school and picking up DS from school I was sweaty, sore and craving something fruity, cold and not actually fruit. If I end up with GD this pregnancy I am screwed. 

mrosek91

Is anyone a member of MommaStrong? I just listened to an interview with the founder, and I'm thinking of joining. I always want to be more fit, but have a hard time motivating myself, so it seems like this could be a good tool, but was wondering if anyone else had experience.

Beauxbaton

Anyone know what's safe to take for an upset stomach/diarrhea during pregnancy? I'm miserable

jrm_14

@Beauxbaton This is what my OB’s office says: 

Twinkiedoll

Ginger is good for upset stomachs so I make a ginger, lemon, and honey tea when I get an upset stomach (and generally don't feel well).

purplg8r

My diet is crap.  I’m eating lots of junk food, because I can. Not pregnant I count calories (but still have treats as long as it fits in my calorie count) but now it’s a free for all.  I will say that I’m drinking way more milk than usual so that’s good right?

stretch mark cream...I know that some women are just destined to have them but any out there you guys love?  I’ve been using the Palmers one but the bottle is almost out and I thought I’d check before buying another bottle 

wanderlustsoul

@purplg8r, I use the Burt’s bees one and love it. I mix it with their body oil. 

https://www.burtsbees.co.uk/product/mama-bee-belly-butter/

Lotus_2008

@purplg8r Another vote for the Burt's Bees Belly Butter.

cato99

I use this random organic cream I get on Amazon and I really love it--it's light and absorbent. I know it's luck of the draw but for what it's worth I used it last pregnancy and didn't get any stretch marks, and don't have any this pregnancy so far either (and I do have a few stretch marks from other stuff like boob growth spurts and IF-related weight gain so it's not like I'm naturally immune or anything). 

And to follow up on my diet complaint above, my doctor had mercy on me and my GD obsession and got my GTT results back to me within a few hours, and it turns out I don't have GD this pregnancy, which is blowing my mind. So, whether you had it before or have it this time around, that doesn't mean you'll have it again!