🍋 Week 2 (5/8-5/14) Check In - W/O 11/9

ec1212

Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days:

FTM/STM/STM+:

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out:

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of:

Upcoming appointments:

How are you feeling?:

Rants/Raves:

Questions:

GTKY: If you went to college (uni for our non-US mamas), what did you major in? If not, what did you dive into after high school?

texas_t

Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days: 14w1d

FTM/STM/STM+: Two boys, 5 and 2 at the end of this month omg

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out: Team Blue unless proven otherwise! lol

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of: A rubber ducky

Upcoming appointments: Nov 23rd

How are you feeling?: Starting to feel like a human! I drank a diet coke this weekend for the first time in months.

Rants/Raves: I'm finally not feeling sick every time I eat! 

Questions: None at the moment

GTKY: If you went to college (uni for our non-US mamas), what did you major in? If not, what did you dive into after high school? I have my B.S. in Architecture, but I didn't like it.  I'm in I.T. now and it just fits my brain better!

gusgus14

Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days: 5/8, 14+2

FTM/STM/STM+: STM

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out: Finding out in a couple of weeks

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of: A baby chick

Upcoming appointments: None this week! Check up with my OB next week and MFM the week after.

How are you feeling?: Crappy. Still have nausea morning - night and struggling to stay hydrated. 

Rants/Raves: I'm finally going on my girls' trip this weekend! Me and two of my best friends were supposed to go to Universal Orlando back in June which obviously didn't happen. We postponed to August but none of us felt comfortable going so we decided to do a mountain weekend instead and it's finally almost here! We will probably be doing nothing but lounging around the cabin but it will be the first time I've been away from my kid since she was born almost 3 years ago (with the exception of two nights when my dad was in the hospital before passing last year which I don't count) and I am so freaking excited. 

Questions: Nope.

GTKY: If you went to college (uni for our non-US mamas), what did you major in? If not, what did you dive into after high school? I majored in Business Administration during undergrad and then I went to grad school for an MBA. 

ccmrc143

 Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days: 13+6 

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out: Team green, but reluctantly!!! Lol 

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of: A lemon 

Upcoming appointments: not till November 30...may give in and get a Doppler 

How are you feeling?: Feeling almost normal minus the constipation and terrible mood. 

Rants/Raves: Just a big f you to Covid today and all days! 

Questions: What are some ways you’re bonding with baby this early? It’s hard for me to figure out how to do that but I want to so badly. 

GTKY: If you went to college (uni for our non-US mamas), what did you major in? If not, what did you dive into after high school? I was an English major. What a terrible idea...I had no idea what I wanted to do!! I did love it though and got my way into a good job! 

gusgus14

@ccmrc143 I don't have any advice about bonding this early but just wanted to say that even if you don't feel bonded the entire pregnancy, that is totally okay and normal! When I was a FTM I sometimes wondered if something was wrong with me because I didn't feel bonded/connected to my baby and pregnancy was just a thing that was happening to my body. I felt comforted when I found others who felt the same way. I didn't feel much of anything until I actually gave birth and then for me it was immediate. So far I'm feeling the same way this time around but it's still early and that could change. 

brynn_mamaof4

@ccmrc143 also lurking but wanted to say, I feel the same way this pregnancy. It’s a first for me and this is my fourth. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been through this three times, or I haven’t been feeling well and that taken up most of my mental headspace. I DO care and I am excited to meet baby, but honestly I don’t find myself focused on the baby as much as I am just being pregnant and having felt like shit, I’m exhausted, etc. I am hoping that once I find out what I’m having, it will be different because I can start shopping, pondering names, etc. I’ll feel baby has an official identity. 

So you’re not alone! 

ec1212

Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days: EDD is 5/14, 13+3 - seems like past couple weeks have gone by faster!

FTM/STM/STM+: FTM

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out: Team Blue!

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of: Lemon (hence our emoji this wk) or a brownie. Mmmmm, brownies.

Upcoming appointments: Also not until 11/30 - 16 wk anatomy scan. 

How are you feeling?: Pretty good today. I cleaned out the fridge and finally ordered some groceries - last week was a total wash since we were gone a couple days and then election stress. I also got in 4 good walks last week, three of them long ones.

Rants/Raves: Rave - we told all of our closest loved ones and family this past week (all phone calls or texts with pics, and got to tell a few in person) and it has been so fun. 

Questions: Did anyone who nursed NOT have their baby in their own bedroom to start? Everyone has told me it will be so much easier to just have him in our room but a) I really don't want to buy both a bassinet and a crib - we have limited space in our Brooklyn apartment and it seems wasteful especially since I'm not planning to nurse for a long time and b) I'm considering having a night nurse at least for a couple weeks since we don't have family here, and it wouldn't make sense then to have him in our room. 

GTKY: If you went to college (uni for our non-US mamas), what did you major in? If not, what did you dive into after high school? I have a bachelor's in print journalism and master's in broadcast journalism. I did work as a journalist for a few years, and all the skills I learned have transferred over to being a salesperson now.

ec1212

@texas_t so cool you studied architecture. I love architecture but I'm not great at math so I never thought I could pursue it. Maybe in a next life.
@gusgus14 - what a bummer that the m/s is dragging on. So excited for your girls trip, though!!
ccmrc143 - see if this works to tag you instead of using the @ symbol - My next appt isn't until 11/30 also, and I did cave last week and order a doppler. My symptoms have improved so much, and I had slight tinges of brown spotting after walking last week so I've just freaked out a little. It will be here Thursday. I will say, though, that I keep feeling flutters and kind of wondering if that's him...feels like it should be too early to feel my first moving around but would be cool if it is him!

mrosek91

*lurking*
@ec1212 we don't keep the baby in the room. I know that's fairly rare, but it works for us. We did it a little differently for each of our children, but #2 is probably the closest to what you are planning. His room was right across the hall from us, so I had no problem hearing him if he cried. That room also doubles as our guestroom, and the first week my mom stayed with us, and would wake up with him, she would change him if necessary, then try to get him back to sleep, and only come get me if he needed to eat. Then after she left he stayed there. When he would have MOTN wake ups I would go in and feed him on the guest bed (I had a mountain of pillows to allow me to sit up and nurse.) then put him back down, and go back to my own room.
For all three of them, I find I sleep better if I'm not hearing every little noise they make, and I'm less likely to fall asleep nursing if I have to get up and go to them. 

ckmb_1250

Estimated Due Date/Weeks + Days: 5/9, 14 weeks 1 day!

FTM/STM/STM+: STM

Team Green/Pink/Blue/Finding Out: team PINK!

Interesting Baby Fact/Baby is the size of: debit card?

Upcoming appointments: OB and midwife appts the week of thanksgiving 

How are you feeling?: the progesterone injections are killing me. Hopefully this week will be my last dose, but then I’ll be an anxious wreck 🤷🏻‍♀️ I was ecstatic to get 10 hours of sleep last night after taking some Tylenol, but my eyes were burning again by 11 am, so my exhaustion is not quite gone yet!

Rants/Raves: covid is really bad right now in my state, 5,000 new cases a day lately 😩 staying home as much as we can right now. 

Questions: none but to answer @ccmrc143 I still find it hard to feel like I’m bonding yet, I sometimes will try to talk to her, but it’s easier for me once I can start feeling movements. 

GTKY: I majored in fashion merch/product development and minored in dance. I would likely pick a different major now, but here we are!

ec1212

@mrosek91 - thanks for sharing! I am such a light sleeper, so this is another one of my concerns. I know I'm not gonna be getting much sleep as it is, so I just picture myself lying awake all night listening to his every sigh and shuffle.

ec1212

ckmb_1250 second tri dance woohoo!!!

ckmb_1250

@ec1212 I always woke up and checked if baby was breathing constantly 😂 but other than that I don’t think it’s necessarily easier to have them in your room vs their room. You still have to get up and sit up & likely change a diaper. Eventually I did start dosing off while I was holding her to nurse, so I felt safer sitting on a flat bed that was set up for safe bedsharing vs sitting in a chair in her room. 

gusgus14

@ec1212 so we had planned on having our first in a separate room but it didn't work out that way. But my best friend had her first sleeping in her nursery down the hall from the first night they were home. We're planning on having the twins in our room to start this time but just because it was so convenient last time and we won't have anyone staying with us. We both get up those first couple of months and my husband will do the diaper change and then I nurse (although this time there might also be some bottle feeding, TBD). 

texas_t

@ec1212 Yeah, I'm opposite! I was good at the math, not so much the creative bit.  I should have done engineering! Oh well! My architecture degree got my foot in the door where I work now, so it all works out!

Liz101015

@ec1212 we opted to get a pack and play that had a two level system that we used in our room for the forst little bit before moving our son to a crib. We still use it when we travel and stuff. 

ec1212

@Liz101015 that’s a good idea!! Thanks! I would feel better if it whatever we had in our room was something we’d keep using. Alternatively thinking of getting the Snoo if we don’t get a night nurse, because that would be easy to resell to get back some of what we paid. 

ccmrc143

@brynn_mamaof4 @gusgus14 @ckmb_1250 thank you so much for the reassurance about bonding! I feel a lot more normal  

@Liz101015 we’re also going to get a pack n play with bassinet attachment I think. @ec1212 I’m also a light sleeper (I use ear plugs every night!) so super worried about the impacts of baby movements on my sleep. Really helpful to see everyone’s different solutions! 

texas_t

@ccmrc143 I have trouble sleeping and when I have a newborn, it's REALLY difficult for me to get any rest.  With a newborn, I still use earplugs AND take half a benedryl or unisom and still wake up the second they cry! 

ccmrc143

@texas_t omg noooo! I’m sure I’ll be right there with you, adding the Benadryl to my mix because even my dog standing up in his bed can wake me up through ear plugs. 

ckmb_1250

@ec1212 you can rent Snoos too! 

ruby0902

*lurking* @ckmb_1250 - I'm also coming off my progesterone this week. It's definitely nerve wracking but the one thing I read that stuck with me is that the placenta is making so much progesterone right now that supplementing is overkill. We just have to trust our bodies!

Also, I know everyone is super nervous about COVID right now - both for themselves as well as your families. For what it's worth, I actually contracted COVID a few weeks ago, around 12w pregnant, and while I certainly wouldn't recommend getting it, it was survivable and only lasted about a week. I know everyone reacts differently but it really just felt like an annoying flu/cold and not even the worst one I've ever had. Everything still seems to be going great with baby as well at almost 15w!

littlelibelula

4th wk lurker 
@ec1212 My baby slept in the pack n play for a long time. Very convenient, especially since most have the higher level so you don't have to reach too low. 

@ccmrc143 There are lot of early stimulation games, songs and music you can do in pregnancy. Like others said, it might not help you bond, but it can remind you that there is a little human inside. I sing to my bump with my baby, but I know I won't bond until at least after we meet face to face.