Randoms (2/1 - 2/29)

chewie5990

@catem07 after having DS I lived in nursing tanks with a cardigan or button up flannel (winter time) - it's pretty much the only thing I wore during maternity leave. Old Navy also has some inexpensive nursing tops that weren't too complicated. And...if you're looking for something a little more flattering - Kholes has a lot of nice blouses that have a zipper in the front - I have a few that I wear to work I think they will be pretty easy to nurse in since you can just unzip as far as needed and then zip back up! 

jhysmath

@chewie5990 I did the same thing with my may baby . I got nursing tanks from target and just put a button up shirt on top if I was leaving the house. I stayed home most of the summer on Mat leave. When I went back to work I wore flannels or cardigans over the tanks so I could easily pump. 

catem07

I hate shelf bra nursing tanks but I asked my mom to make me modified ones that I love. She took the Old Navy camis and sewed S clips in (the clips you use to connect some bathing suits in th back) to connect the straps to a loop she made on the tank on the front. I can clip the strap to my nursing bra when I'm nursing. It sounds confusing but when we get to that point if anyone finds they too hate nursing tanks and is handy with a needle I can share a picture. 

I really wanted a winter baby this time around so I wasn't in the fourth trimester in the summer but alas that wasn't in the cards from a work perspective. 

pourmeanothermocktail

I get hot so easily, especially while nursing tiny babies, and I hate wearing tank tops under other shirts, I like tank tops by themselves, but the shelf bra in nursing tanks doesn't work for me at all. I just have a lot of scoop or v-neck tanks and sundresses (in warm weather at least!) and pull boob out the top. I can't invest in a totally new wardrobe, and will be stuck in maternity bottoms for probably 3-6 months postpartum judging by previous pregnancies, so I'm hoping at least some of my maternity shorts actually fit, I'm not optimistic, I got most with my first pregnancy, and I'm much bigger with each baby. Ick. Sundresses are awesome though, I can usually fit into them the entire pregnancy! Have been nursing straight thru June 2016...

mamaj1220

@catem07 I feel you on not knowing what to do for me clothes for the summer. It gets incredibly humid and hot here in summer and I am dreading it. DS1 was a winter baby so I could layer comfortably then but now I am like what do I do haha.

Also on this subject, how much time do you think we will be able to realistically get in? with DS1 we were in until late May early June because germs and that year was a weird weather year. But I know he and I are going to want to not be in the house all day everyday

pirateduck

If you had to dress up for a disco party in your third trimester, what sort of top/outfit would you wear?  I feel like it's easy to find cheesy stretchy bell-bottoms in fun fabrics, but I don't know what to do for my upper half.  Even a dress or something would be an option.

pourmeanothermocktail

pirateduck said:

If you had to dress up for a disco party in your third trimester, what sort of top/outfit would you wear?  I feel like it's easy to find cheesy stretchy bell-bottoms in fun fabrics, but I don't know what to do for my upper half.  Even a dress or something would be an option.

Something sparkly and totally gaudy probably from Goodwill!

pirateduck

@pourmeanothermocktail I have some time to figure it out, so I can certainly hit the thrift shops!

bender29

@pirateduck just go all out and dress up as the disco ball!

pirateduck

@bender29 I am seriously considering this option 

emlettuce

@pirateduck @bender29 Amazon has you covered

jrouge12

@jhysmath Your description of the school you came from is pretty much the school I work at. On bad days there can be 6-8 pretty nasty fights. Overall I love the school I'm at but we've had incidents with weapons that have made things more frightening for students and teachers. 

@soprano19 Generally I don't see fights as my hallway isn't the main walk way for kids. Students try to show me videos and I just can't watch them. 

@catem07 I started collecting clearance warm weather nursing clothes a few months ago. With DD we didn't go anywhere for months and I was very casual letting it all hang out but I know we'll be out more with this one and I wanted tops I felt good about. I definitely had lower self esteem for a bit after DD and I'm hoping if I like what I'm wearing it'll help. 

@emlettuce Perfect for chaperoning prom! 😂

drkoyya

@catem07 I feel you on what to wear postpartum. I started to think about it but gave up and decided I won't go anywhere and I'll live in pajamas. One of my best friends recently moved out of state and planned to make a trip back to So Cal around the time baby is due. She'll be in the area for about a month but may stay with us a few times and I've already warned her that I will be half naked in the house "shrugs". Side note about the postpartum house guest-- She's fully aware that if she's staying over it's not a social event, she'll be staying because she needs a place to sleep. 

My random of the day is that I'm pleasantly surprised by the baby support from my coworkers. I ended up inviting them to my main shower since I'm new. I thought maybe 3-4 people would show up but a good chunk of the department RSVP'd. Those who can't make it have already started dropping off gifts to me. Super sweet, I feel super fortunate that my work environment is supportive.

jhysmath

@drkoyya that is so sweet that they're either coming or dropping off gifts when you're new to the school . And good friends know how to treat people postpartum, for some reason only family doesn't. 

lisush

@catem07 that sounds interesting but I can't picture how it works. I don't usually do shelf tanks because my boobs are way too big to fit in them and aren't supported by them at all. I'd be interested in seeing a picture of how it's done as something to consider.

I figure I'll wait until I'm sitting around the house PP to order summer stuff since I have no idea what is going to actually fit then. I'll probably get a tank or two to have at the hospital and right after, but the rest I'll do later. 

miss_lynn9

I keep getting told I'll just wear my maternity clothes after. I haven't even thought about anything else..  

queenklau

Just like with maternity clothes, I would advocate to get a few key pieces for nursing. I had 3-4 nursing shirts/tanks (a few good suggestions above, target, old navy, Kohl’s*), 1-2 dresses (you can use loose summer dresses too, just make sure they are stretchy to pull down for feedings. I would prioritize those for going out in public, makes feedings much much easier (at least they did for a FTM). At home is fair game, you can wear whatever and be topless/ wear nursing bra when you feel like it. I don’t plan on using a cover during summer, it was so hot for me during winter and can’t imagine how steamy it will get under there during summer.

The good thing is you don’t need special pants! I wore my pregnancy legging while I was healing/going back to my pre-pregnancy ish weigh. Just stretchy stuff. Think about the stuff you wore in early pregnancy/awkward stage.  

*I was gifted a few things from milk nursing wear and they are super soft and comfortable. Also H&M has nursing stuff. There are quite a few websites nowadays I keep seeing on FB and IG. Targeted advertising!

shamrocandroll

Lots of nursing tanks are also maternity tanks! Look for ones that do both. I'm wearing one under my sweater right now! 

catem07

I also only needed one season (winter) of maternity clothes last time around but I'll need something for warmer weather. That'll be really annoying since I'll wear those clothes for a month. I'll probably pick up a few dresses and call it a day on that front. 

TattoosandLace

Hey! I'm here! I'll be catching up on things around here so if you get weird love tit notifications, it's just me.
Things are going well now with this LO. Hope all is well with you!

TattoosandLace

drkoyya said:

Someone needs to remind me that I'm pregnant before I try to do anything physical. I was feeling really lazy so I decided to rake up some leaves, breathless and tired after 5 minutes. I finished it! However, next time I'll just nag DH to do it. 

I feel this on a deep level. I tried to scrub floors so we can move into the new house last weekend (after I had the stomach flu for the second time in three months) and it was way too much. Or lifting cases of bottled water, dog food, cattle cubes, etc. Definitely need to take it easier. Crazy how it sneaks up on us.

TattoosandLace

chewie5990 said:

I guess this is an UO - but I enjoy having people visit at the hospital! With DS we had lots of visitors between family and friends and it made the hospital stay a little more enjoyable. It also may have had to do with the fact that I was in the hospital for almost a week with an induction and then csection, but we were pretty happy to see anyone who wanted to come hangout. This time around we won't have many visitors since we are in a different city and only have maybe 1 friend close enough that would come and then my parents and brothers will come visit. 

I'm with you. I prefer to have people visit at the hospital rather than letting them into my momma bear cave when we get home.

shamrocandroll

@TattoosandLace Hi!!!!  I'm so glad you're back!  I was worried about you!

pirateduck

It seems like there are a few women in our group who are moving (or have moved) at some point in this pregnancy.  I just want to say I don't envy you and good luck with your stress levels and it will all be worth it in the end and I hope everything goes smoothly.  

jhysmath

@pirateduck I think I'd prefer to move during pregnancy than with an infant. Our friend sold her place where we were living last year, so we moved with a 1 year old, and now MH is thinking he wants to move school districts which has two positions open for us which means we would be moving at the end of the school year with a 2 year old and a newborn. He claims it would be very easy and he will do all the work, I don't think it will be that easy and I'm hoping we won't get those jobs.

pourmeanothermocktail

Having done it all, moving with a toddler (1-3 ish years) is worse than infant, and infant is harder than pregnant, for me. 

But doing too much for the move while pregnant contributed to my preemie birth so....there's that. 

rachelg777

I think it depends on the person, but for me I agree moving is much easier pregnant than with an infant/young child. Granted I moved earlier in pregnancy at 22 weeks, then at 3 mos of age and 9 mos of age. I am so over moving and definitely empathize with everyone currently going through it!

catem07

We moved with a two year old. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We let our dining room be the box staging area and that worked well, leaving the living room available for playing. 

pirateduck

I guess it's not the moving part so much as it is the finding a new place to live part.  Housing is extremely competitive, at least around here, and finding a new place to live is not an easy task!

catem07

A lot of people in my last BMB moved around baby time too. I think it's a time in a lot of women's lives where they decide they want to make a change (move, get a new job, etc.)

shamrocandroll

@catem07 Makes sense... "Ah, crap... we need more space and money!!!"

queenklau

shamrocandroll said: no

@catem07 Makes sense... "Ah, crap... we need more space and money!!!"

Yup, that’s exactly where we are now. We rent a cute 2 bdr/1.5 bath townhome, great location. It is starting to feel cramped for the 3 of us + doggie + the new baby. We decided to kick the can down the road and renew for 6 more months this coming May, if they let us. That means we have to move around end of the year...I don’t want to think about it..In fact I probably am in denial. I hate moving so much. Once we are in the new place it will be better, but not during the process, ugh!
Depending on what the situation is like (home prices, where we are with our savings), we may purchase for the first time. It’s quite exciting and scary to me!

drkoyya

drkoyya said:

@jrouge12 uh oh, I wonder why it got recalled. Like @pirateduck said, it’s mostly samples. I was planning on using the samples in case of an emergency and I ran out of something, but now I’m really curious. 

I don’t think that I’ll have to worry too much about annoying baby clothes from my in-law, my mom on the other hand... She is getting custom T-shirts made for the entire family. I really don’t care. I thought it was a nice gesture but she’s all about them. She keeps making comments that “we’ll all wear them in the hospital” “we can take family pictures and you can put them in the nursery”. Yea, that’s not going to happen. She just sent me the final template for the shirts. I just said “I like it” and she responded with “YOU DON’T LOVE IT?!” I just really don’t care, it’s nice 🤷🏾‍♀️ She’s also made comments about making custom onesies, so we’ll see...

Everyone in the family will have their own saying. Like I’m going to be an aunt, papa, grandma, great grandma, etc.

I have an update on the whole "family shirts" thing with my mom (story in spoiler if you're not familiar). She texted me this morning asking me to ask my in-laws to wear jeans/black pants to the shower. I asked if it was for a photo op with the shirts. She goes on to tell me that she wants everyone to wear the shirts during the shower. I mentioned that I plan to wear a dress I have because it highlights my bump better than Tshirts-- let's be honest, who wants to wear pants at 30+ weeks? Her response was "everyone else NEEDS TO WEAR the shirts, including Zachary's (baby) father". How are you going to tell adults what to wear? I thought the shirts were just going to be gift, not a dress code. I told her that I'll pass the message but I can't guarantee that everyone will wear it. Now she's pissed at me *shrugs* 

pirateduck

@drkoyya somehow the part that totally crosses the line for me is where she specifies what kind of pants they must wear with the shirts also.  Ugh.  If it was me there is a good chance I'd flip if I was actually speaking to her on the phone and call the whole shirt thing off.  I don't know how you are calm with her.

drkoyya

@pirateduck Sadly this is how she is with everything. I've learned how to deal with it, but it's still extremely annoying. I'm thankful that my MIL is amazing. I couldn't imagine having to navigate both my mom and a MIL

pirateduck

It sounds exhausting.

mamaj1220

@drkoyya you are much better than me, I would have been like "yeah I am going to ask them to wear the exact opposite of what you want" because I am petty AF and don't like to feel like I am being bossed around lol. 

mamaj1220

Random question are labor buddies still a thing? In D13 we paired off (or were paired off) with someone due at the opposite end of the month than us so they could update the group when baby was born or how labor was going etc.?

emlettuce

DH recently allowed DS to play Mario kart for real instead of just giving him a dummy controller and now that's all he wants to do and the tantrums when I set time limits have been insane. Also now I can't just put on a YouTube video of Mario kart because now he knows it's fake. Way to take away one of my solid "mom needs to make dinner, please stay distracted" tricks.

catem07

@mamaj1220 we didn't do that in April 2017 but we were on FB so updates were easier to give if people wanted to