@crizz13 oh those are really cute!! I kind of like the men’s pajamas better than the women’s! my in-laws’ Christmas traditions are exhausting.
There’s the expectation that everyone will be there for hours on Christmas Eve and all day Christmas Day. My MIL acts like it’s no big deal and we can come when we’re ready, but we always get a phone call from her asking if we’re coming if we’re not there at the moment she expects us. I feel for you ladies who have to travel to multiple homes. The thought of a bunch of people trying to touch my new baby after traveling from out of state is making me a little twitchy.
@mtengl yes welcome back! Definitely post an intro if you haven't yet and join in on the threads. Looking forward to getting to know you!
I haven't even thought much about holidays yet. We normally go to my mom's in Atlanta for Thanksgiving and then do Christmas locally with MH's family. We definitely won't be going to ATL a few weeks after Michael is born, so I really don't know. As far as Christmas, it really just depends on how COVID is at the time, so much is up in the air right now that I don't want to make any definite plans yet.
@windywoman I am so happy for you!! Especially because it doesn't sound like you had the best/healthiest work environment. I bet being a SAHM will be so rewarding and special and I am so glad you are able to do it!
@windywoman Congratulations!! I am happy you are able to do what is best for you. I have fortunately been able to work from home but know I would be a bit more stressed going into work (I work in skilled nursing facilities).
Thanks everyone for welcoming me back. I had done an intro at the very beginning. Short story, I am 22 weeks (Due 11/12) pregnant, STM with an 18 month old DD. We live in South Texas and I am a dietitian that works in skilled nursing facilities. Due to COVID we aren't allowed in facilities so working from home right now. DD still goes to daycare because we are encouraged to not keep our kids home while we work.
@windywoman That is so awesome! I'm glad you were able to leave because it doesn't sound like you were being respected at all and that's not okay! We're actually in the same boat, but it's DH who's going to quit to stay home. I keep hoping he'll do it soon because his job is very stressful and when he's stressed we're all stressed! Anyway, congrats on being a SAHM! 🥳
@everyone thank you! It had been weighing on me and now I just feel so good about it! I can't wait to spend so much more time with my little guy and then this new baby.
@ everyone for the holiday discussion - we are going to do Thanksgiving and Christmas most likely at home. My mom said she would come down from NJ and cook me a Thanksgiving dinner if I wanted her too and I am all for it. We will be in our new house, which is legit PERFECT for entertaining and I am pumped about it. Our families are both relatively small, so I think we may just do both holidays at our home and whoever wants to pop in throughout the day can do so. I am also lucky in the fact that my in-laws and Mom can self-isolate with no problem. My BIL and SIL both have a more difficult time as BIL works in a hospital, so they didn't come around from March until June to prevent spreading anything. I suspect they will do the same for the holidays if our numbers ramp back up.
@windywoman Congrats! That must feel awesome! I've been pretty torn - I'm supposed to go back to work (teaching) in August, but my husband and parents are pretty unenthusiastic about it. If the case count keeps going up and they still want us in the classroom I may have to take a year off...
Re: holiday discussion. We, like many of you, have lots of family nearby and usually do multiple Thanksgivings and Christmases with both families. Luckily my parents are already in our bubble, and my ILs are hardcore isolated and don't even really see us at this point. I will restrict anyone else from holding/seeing baby up close unless they do 2 weeks of strict quarantine. As far as I'm concerned, Covid gives us the excuse to turn down all social engagements and maybe give us a good 4th trimester of solid nesting and bonding. All those people can wait. As for those of you talking about starting new traditions - I reallly encourage you to take advantage of the pandemic and birth of a child (especially if it's your first) to set some boundaries. It's really OK to say "We're really excited about starting our own traditions and will be spending xxx at home. Especially this year when baby is so little and with Covid."
TW
Me: 33 DH: 32 Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013 Started TTC August 2016 BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17 BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17 BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18 BFP: 2/27/20
@windywoman Congrats! It sounds like you made the right decision in a tricky situation.
@mtengl Until I left my job in April, I was a SNF SLP. I love working with dietitians! How nice that you can work from home!
I have no idea what the holidays will bring. My family lives a day and a half drive away and don’t want to travel to see us any time soon. MH’s family is in Mexico. The border is still closed, as far as I know, so I have no idea when they will get to meet LO... not that they’ve ever bothered to visit us. 😒 I’m trying to embrace the tranquility of this moment, as much as possible.
@everyone We started talking about Christmas plans on the weekend... and I imagine it will be a disaster!
My family is always pretty flexible and we rotate where we do Christmas each year. This year is technically my brother's turn to host, but he's an 8 hour drive away, so we're thinking we'll ask to change to my parents, who are 3 hours away because they have way more space than we do at our place.
For my inlaws... it's always lots of drama. He is one of four kids and usually we try to figure out a plan a couple months in advance so we can see everyone... but we end up being told what's happening a couple days before Christmas and expected to just drop everything... uggghhhhh. This year I think we'll put our foot down and say we're willing to go to my inlaws place (a 2.5 hour drive away) or have people come to ours, but that's it. DH's parents are in our bubble already, and so are his brother and his family... but he also has 2 sisters that are about 8 hours away. The one I'm not concerned about, but the younger sister always has snapchats out at the bar with lots of other people around. I like the idea of what some other people above have said of asking people to isolate before or else we just won't go!!
For those that don’t know I’m 21, living at home and going to be a single momma. So, typically we host thanksgiving, christmas eve and day! I am due right around thanksgiving (11/30) and I’ve already expressed some concern about having our large family over. My mom insists that it’ll be fine, even though I’ve brought up concerns about Covid. She is insistent that our whole family (approx 20 people) will all meet the baby the first week its born. I am trying to remain respectful because she will be helping out with the baby while I finish my last semester student teaching. However, I keep reminding her that it’s my baby, my choice. Right now I’m playing it by ear, but with all of the cases ramping up, I’m not sure how comfortable I am having everyone around so close to my due date. Especially because a lot of my relatives don’t take social distancing seriously 🙄🙄
@1sttimemomma98 That's so frustrating! If your parents won't compromise on this, you could get a newborn front pack and keep baby bundled up against you the whole time to protect them from unwanted touch... or maybe your doctor will talk to your parents or write a note?
TW
Me: 33 DH: 32 Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013 Started TTC August 2016 BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17 BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17 BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18 BFP: 2/27/20
@bserena@hedgepig I am hoping they’ll come around! I think they will eventually, as long as I stand firm, which I will! I am definitely planning in baby wearing, so I can have people look from a distance if we end up compromising!
Holiday plans are up in the air in my household. All of our family is out of state and scattered, closest to drive to is 8 hours away. I'm due Nov 29 so Thanksgiving, if we do anything, will be a 'family comes to us'. We typically celebrate Christmas at MIL and driving 8 hrs is already awful for me, add a newborn and my recovering body and it may be a no altogether. First grandbaby for almost everyone + stepparents + many siblings = an interesting balancing act that will bring so much love to baby, but the planning is something I'm dreading.
Throw in COVID which I anticipate will still be a big concern by then and the convos may be 'see ya when you get the vaccine'. Pending doctor's recommendations, of course.
Just heard back from our realtor, the sellers have agreed to either fix or give us credit to fix everything we asked for, except for replacing a pipe under the bathroom sink that my husband can do on his own, lol. So yay!! Now just hoping and praying the appraisal comes back good!
@1sttimemomma98 that’s super frustrating! I second baby wearing. I’ll definitely be doing that too if we end up doing any sort of Christmas celebration.
PHEW!! That was a lot to unload! I didn’t even realize I missed this whole new thread!!!
Im so unsure of what to do for the holidays — it hasnt hardly crossed my mind honestly. I’m due 11/22 and have this STRONG feeling little miss turkey will make her grand appearance ON Thanksgiving. We’ve talked about it casually that we would do a delayed Thanksgiving if that’s the case. We’ll be staying with my parents for at least the one week leading up to my due date since she is closer to the hospital. I’m delivering in a completely different county (close to an hour away) because I love my OB-Gyn practice I’ve been seeing for like 16 Years. ANYWAY! My family and my husbands family are definitely in our bubbles, they’re pretty much the only people we see in person recently and they’re SUPER careful given my pregnancy. So we will likely keep Thanksgiving to just the two families, and then play Christmas by ear. Maybe we’ll “host”...
Sounds like a lot of us are on a similar page. I’m concerned about COVID for sure, but I’m less uncomfortable with the people in my bubble that I talk to DAILY. My original plan was to tote little miss EVERYWHERE pretty early (within a month or two), to get her used to being around noises and people, but I’m definitely a little more concerned now and reserved with everything that’s going on. I’m probably more consumed with thinking of the ability of my husband to be involved in the appointments and delivery than anything else right now.
Re: Holidays - to be totally honest, I haven't even started to think about them. Thanksgiving may have to be on our own. We don't do Christmas, since we are Jewish, but so a big dinner on Christmas Eve for my mom's birthday. I think we're ultimately going to have to play things by ear since NY has had a fall in cases and for the first time since April had a day with no Covid related deaths. I think, because the situation is so new and we don't know what state our respective locations will be in come baby time, it's good to have a plan for the worst case; but to be able to reassess as we know more about what the reality is. All we do know, for sure, is wearing a mask helps curb the spread!
Completely different topic: my husband has a pregnancy app for dad's and this week's tip is "don't make beeping noises when she walks backwards"🤣🤣🤣 I wonder how many dad's made the mistake😅😂
@babywiik oh man, if you can't laugh about it though. DH calls me Darth pregnant because I am always huffing and puffing. I guess I wasn't this bad with DD.
Has anyone been keeping up with the Naya Rivera story? I am normally not super affected by celebrity death, but this one is just hitting me hard. I was definitely a super fan of Glee in my early 20s. They found her on the 7th anniversary of Cory Monteith's death as well. An article came out today stating that they believe she mustered just enough strength to push her son onboard the boat before "disappearing under the water" according to her 4 year old. Gosh that just hits me in the mama feels like no other. I literally wish her son and her family so much peace and love right now as I honestly cannot imagine what they are going through.
@jaclyn0405 it’s absolutely devastating. As much as I love being in the water, I’ve had a different relationship with it since having a kid. Being around lakes or pools freaks me out a little. I’m so sad for her little boy and family.
I got an email last night that DD2's daycare is reopening August 3rd but they have changed their hours because they can't combine classes anymore for breakfast in the mornings and need more time for cleaning. They won't open til 8am now which is impossible for our family because my students walk in the door at 8 (I've always dropped the girls off at 7am) and DH, if he's working at his office leaves our house at 6:30. So I'm stuck and will possibly need to find an alternate place for DD2....but won't know for sure until my work situation is figured out. ALL THESE UNKNOWNS ARE KILLING ME.
@crizz13 I am really sorry, that is super tough. I hate not knowing what the future holds especially when it comes to childcare/work. Our daycare slightly decreased their hours but thankfully it wasn't as drastic as that especially when most have to drop off kids before 8...
@crizz13 ughhh love! In the midst of everything going on, I am so sorry that this is another thing to add to your plate! I hope that you are able to find/come up with an alternative solution that fits for both you and DD2.
Ok wow this is a very active thread and I've been off for a couple days lol. @mtengl Welcome back!
@windywoman I'm happy for you! You made a big decision and it's good to hear that you are doing what is best for you and your family.
@1sttimemomma98 20 people in the first week sounds like a lot... I'm glad you are planning to put your foot down about that. Maybe your doctor can give you firm advice against that, or perhaps you can just say that they have...
@crizz13 that daycare and work situation sounds so frustrating! I hope you find some clarity with that soon. I find it crazy that they would delay their start time...
Re: holidays-- It's been helpful to see everyone's different perspectives here. Thank you all for sharing. One day I hope we can just host at our home, but probably won't be this year. My mom also does the Christmas Eve pajama tradition and I hope to continue that, loving the matching pj idea.
@warmwinter the app is called Daddy Up. It's very woodsy themed and refers to the dad as 'lumberjack' and pregnancy is a journey through some woods and up a mt on the other side of the woods. My husband likes knowing whats going on so perfect for him😉 I think it also helped him a lot in the first trimester when everything was so new and he could have some advice from other dad's about what to do and why I might do what I do.
@Ecat504 I am so over traveling for the holidays. It’s well let’s see around $2400 for our flights plus hotels — which sucks. Then his folks split and every dang holiday my FIL doesn’t understand why it’s a big deal why we can’t make presents at Aunt X...RIGHT when his mom wants to do brunch. Soooo much family drama. What is I’m sooo not doing it. We’ll go in an off season and visit all the family some other time. (Which then means we get SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many toys. — Usually 50 lbs per CHILD. 🤬. I mean thank you but presents at this point mean so little. It’s kind of awful. Also our house is NOT large).
@1sttimemomma98 stick to your guns lady IMHO. Baby is yours. You’ll have your parenting ideas that are different from your moms. It’s okay to be you. For me, I am still um bleeding one week out.
Overall, I want zero visitors. I’m kind of peeved people want to visit during my maternity leave. My main problem is we have baby and I return to pre-baby weight fast— so I look normal. But I’m an absolute mess hormonally. So many tears and sadness. Maternity leave is so my time to get my brain right. The last thing I want to do is entertain and/or host. I just want to take a shower every day. # goals. My SO and I were talking about zero visitors for three months maybe. Obviously everyone is different. For me I ATLEAST want baby to have her first set of shots (also a contested topic...) before travel or visitors.
There are already 40 intros on the March 2021 board. Time is flying!
I know I need to catch up on this random thread!!
@name1109 yes about getting your brain right during maternity leave. Maybe corona may have its good side as a excuse to limit visitors. When we came home with DD, DH best man who we hadn’t seen in a few years was waiting at the house to see baby and congratulate us. Thanks, but I’m a mess here and I want to absorb the new family time. We had several stay over visitors the next few weeks because we didn’t have any family that lived close by. I would take DD in her nursery and cry as I nursed her. So many hormones, plus it hurt like hell. Finally DH picked up on my craziness and shoo’d everyone away for a bit.
I’m just concerned this time of how am I going to handle it with DD and her needs. It would definitely be helpful to have people around to distract her, but at the same time I want it to just be us.
Has anyone ever heard of taking your newborn to a chiropractor? A previous client of mine who is chiropractor just had a baby. She is taking her newborn to a chiropractor that specializes in babies... apparently it’s a thing and can help with latching and colic. Why have I never heard of this? Has anyone done this?
@potofgolden My best friend took her newborn to a chiropractor. It really helped with her colic/fussiness. She was so much happier after her adjustments! I have been looking in to places locally.
I have been SUPER nervous about feeling baby. Like I see the videos of the elbows and feet and lumps happening in moms tummies and it makes me SO WEIRDED OUT. But I’m SWOONING over feeling little bits’ kicks right now. I look forward to them even. I’m still EXTRA nervous when she gets bigger of what it’s going to feel/look like but I’m living for these little moments everyday. 💜💜
I'm just gonna roll up here into the holidays talk like I didn't disappear for several weeks -- I had honestly just assumed we had a pass on holidays this year. My mom made a comment last time she called that she had the week of the Thanksgiving off and I'm like, "Cool, that's good for you." But assuming she and my dad are still working outside the home at that point, as much as I'd love to have her around for a few days, like. No. Don't bring your out of state germs into my brand new baby house. But we've been relatively lucky in this regard: the closest thing we have to traditions are my parents usually host some sort of party around Christmas. My husband and my dad both work Black Friday are their respective jobs, so travel even on years I'm not knocked up is a pretty up-in-the-air sitch.
I'll admit that I miss seeing my mom, though. Usually they'd drive down to visit every couple of months, and that obviously hasn't happened in a long while. They were due to visit right as COVID for heavy the first time.
I've honestly been more stressed about what my son going back to school will mean in terms of transmission risk in our household, though our govenor delayed start of school until after Labor Day, so. That gives us a few more weeks of have no clue what's going on.
Re: July Randoms
my in-laws’ Christmas traditions are exhausting.
I haven't even thought much about holidays yet. We normally go to my mom's in Atlanta for Thanksgiving and then do Christmas locally with MH's family. We definitely won't be going to ATL a few weeks after Michael is born, so I really don't know. As far as Christmas, it really just depends on how COVID is at the time, so much is up in the air right now that I don't want to make any definite plans yet.
Thanks everyone for welcoming me back. I had done an intro at the very beginning. Short story, I am 22 weeks (Due 11/12) pregnant, STM with an 18 month old DD. We live in South Texas and I am a dietitian that works in skilled nursing facilities. Due to COVID we aren't allowed in facilities so working from home right now. DD still goes to daycare because we are encouraged to not keep our kids home while we work.
@mtengl I'm 21 (due 11/15) in south Louisiana with SD, and DDx2!
SO
SD (11/2010)
DD1 (09/2014)
DD2 (10/2015)
Baby Girl #4 (11/2020)
Re: holiday discussion. We, like many of you, have lots of family nearby and usually do multiple Thanksgivings and Christmases with both families. Luckily my parents are already in our bubble, and my ILs are hardcore isolated and don't even really see us at this point. I will restrict anyone else from holding/seeing baby up close unless they do 2 weeks of strict quarantine. As far as I'm concerned, Covid gives us the excuse to turn down all social engagements and maybe give us a good 4th trimester of solid nesting and bonding. All those people can wait.
As for those of you talking about starting new traditions - I reallly encourage you to take advantage of the pandemic and birth of a child (especially if it's your first) to set some boundaries. It's really OK to say "We're really excited about starting our own traditions and will be spending xxx at home. Especially this year when baby is so little and with Covid."
Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013
Started TTC August 2016
BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17
BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17
BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18
BFP: 2/27/20
@mtengl Until I left my job in April, I was a SNF SLP. I love working with dietitians! How nice that you can work from home!
I have no idea what the holidays will bring. My family lives a day and a half drive away and don’t want to travel to see us any time soon. MH’s family is in Mexico. The border is still closed, as far as I know, so I have no idea when they will get to meet LO... not that they’ve ever bothered to visit us. 😒 I’m trying to embrace the tranquility of this moment, as much as possible.
My family is always pretty flexible and we rotate where we do Christmas each year. This year is technically my brother's turn to host, but he's an 8 hour drive away, so we're thinking we'll ask to change to my parents, who are 3 hours away because they have way more space than we do at our place.
For my inlaws... it's always lots of drama. He is one of four kids and usually we try to figure out a plan a couple months in advance so we can see everyone... but we end up being told what's happening a couple days before Christmas and expected to just drop everything... uggghhhhh. This year I think we'll put our foot down and say we're willing to go to my inlaws place (a 2.5 hour drive away) or have people come to ours, but that's it. DH's parents are in our bubble already, and so are his brother and his family... but he also has 2 sisters that are about 8 hours away. The one I'm not concerned about, but the younger sister always has snapchats out at the bar with lots of other people around. I like the idea of what some other people above have said of asking people to isolate before or else we just won't go!!
For those that don’t know I’m 21, living at home and going to be a single momma. So, typically we host thanksgiving, christmas eve and day! I am due right around thanksgiving (11/30) and I’ve already expressed some concern about having our large family over. My mom insists that it’ll be fine, even though I’ve brought up concerns about Covid. She is insistent that our whole family (approx 20 people) will all meet the baby the first week its born. I am trying to remain respectful because she will be helping out with the baby while I finish my last semester student teaching. However, I keep reminding her that it’s my baby, my choice. Right now I’m playing it by ear, but with all of the cases ramping up, I’m not sure how comfortable I am having everyone around so close to my due date. Especially because a lot of my relatives don’t take social distancing seriously 🙄🙄
Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013
Started TTC August 2016
BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17
BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17
BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18
BFP: 2/27/20
Throw in COVID which I anticipate will still be a big concern by then and the convos may be 'see ya when you get the vaccine'. Pending doctor's recommendations, of course.
Sounds like a lot of us are on a similar page. I’m concerned about COVID for sure, but I’m less uncomfortable with the people in my bubble that I talk to DAILY. My original plan was to tote little miss EVERYWHERE pretty early (within a month or two), to get her used to being around noises and people, but I’m definitely a little more concerned now and reserved with everything that’s going on. I’m probably more consumed with thinking of the ability of my husband to be involved in the appointments and delivery than anything else right now.
@mtengl Welcome back!
@windywoman I'm happy for you! You made a big decision and it's good to hear that you are doing what is best for you and your family.
@1sttimemomma98 20 people in the first week sounds like a lot... I'm glad you are planning to put your foot down about that. Maybe your doctor can give you firm advice against that, or perhaps you can just say that they have...
@babywiik what is this dad app that you speak of?
@crizz13 that daycare and work situation sounds so frustrating! I hope you find some clarity with that soon. I find it crazy that they would delay their start time...
Re: holidays-- It's been helpful to see everyone's different perspectives here. Thank you all for sharing. One day I hope we can just host at our home, but probably won't be this year. My mom also does the Christmas Eve pajama tradition and I hope to continue that, loving the matching pj idea.
@Ecat504 I am so over traveling for the holidays. It’s well let’s see around $2400 for our flights plus hotels — which sucks. Then his folks split and every dang holiday my FIL doesn’t understand why it’s a big deal why we can’t make presents at Aunt X...RIGHT when his mom wants to do brunch. Soooo much family drama. What is I’m sooo not doing it. We’ll go in an off season and visit all the family some other time. (Which then means we get SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many toys. — Usually 50 lbs per CHILD. 🤬. I mean thank you but presents at this point mean so little. It’s kind of awful. Also our house is NOT large).
@1sttimemomma98 stick to your guns lady IMHO. Baby is yours. You’ll have your parenting ideas that are different from your moms. It’s okay to be you. For me, I am still um bleeding one week out.
There are already 40 intros on the March 2021 board. Time is flying!
I know I need to catch up on this random thread!!
@name1109 yes about getting your brain right during maternity leave. Maybe corona may have its good side as a excuse to limit visitors. When we came home with DD, DH best man who we hadn’t seen in a few years was waiting at the house to see baby and congratulate us. Thanks, but I’m a mess here and I want to absorb the new family time.
We had several stay over visitors the next few weeks because we didn’t have any family that lived close by. I would take DD in her nursery and cry as I nursed her. So many hormones, plus it hurt like hell. Finally DH picked up on my craziness and shoo’d everyone away for a bit.
I have been SUPER nervous about feeling baby. Like I see the videos of the elbows and feet and lumps happening in moms tummies and it makes me SO WEIRDED OUT. But I’m SWOONING over feeling little bits’ kicks right now. I look forward to them even. I’m still EXTRA nervous when she gets bigger of what it’s going to feel/look like but I’m living for these little moments everyday. 💜💜
I'll admit that I miss seeing my mom, though. Usually they'd drive down to visit every couple of months, and that obviously hasn't happened in a long while. They were due to visit right as COVID for heavy the first time.
I've honestly been more stressed about what my son going back to school will mean in terms of transmission risk in our household, though our govenor delayed start of school until after Labor Day, so. That gives us a few more weeks of have no clue what's going on.