Weekly Random w.o. 8/15

acleverusername

acleverusername

Hey STM+'s... request for product spotlight: stuff for stretch marks and advice when to start using it. 

anniemarie887

@acleverusername lurky loo - i started using like right away. Weleda Stretch Mark Body Oil - 3.4 Fl Oz : Target

iiirene

Unfortunately, I think it’s mostly genetic. I just used regular lotion and only have stretch marks on my boobs after my son was born. I can add it in to the product spotlight schedule for next week though if you don’t get any answers here!

I had a question too-probably thinking of it too early. If you are a STM+ and have young children, what are your plans for child care when you go into labor? My mom would like to watch our son but she lives two hours away and with my son, I was only in active labor for 1.5 hours. My next nearest family member is my brothers, about an hour away depending on traffic. We have some good friends about 40 minutes away, again depending on traffic, that we could use as a back up. I’m just worried labor will go too fast. 

etnyah

@iiirene this has me panicking too. My family is on a different continent and the ILs are 2+ hours away. Plus they’re older and not comfortable watching my son for extended periods. He also only accepts me for bedtime, so… I honestly have no idea what we’ll do. Maybe have my mom come stay with us, she recently retired so it might be doable, but if baby comes early I have no idea. 

Fun fact: last time my mom came two days before my due date, she was still working so we figured chances were I’d go into labor late, since that’s common for FTMs. I’d rather have her around with baby than sitting around twiddling thumbs and then her having to leave right after he was born. He ended up being born while she was en route. I didn’t tell her I was in labor since I knew she’d worry sick on her 9 hour flight, so she arrived to a brand new grandchild! 

etnyah

@acleverusername agree with @iiirene that it’s likely genetic. I haven’t seen any proof of any cream working. I didn’t use anything and I have no stretch marks, no one in my family does. Not even my mom who has four kids!

nsk489

@acleverusername agree with others that it is likely genetic. I would just make sure to moisturize moisturize moisturize. I did use Burts Bees belly butter (bc it was gifted to me) and also this combo of elasticity serum and body butter (https://littleseedfarm.com/collections/mama-baby/products/organic-pregnancy-expecting-mama-gift-set) last pregnancy. I'll use the products from Little Seed Farm again this time bc I already own them/frequently purchase from there 🤷‍♀️

nsk489

@iiirene that was my biggest worry when my husband and I were talking about having more children! With our first, we ended up being at the hospital for 6 days. We had no family nearby (we live on the west coast and they were all on the east coast) and my husband had to go home every day to take care of the animals 😬
My MIL just moved in with us in May, so I assume she will be able to watch our son when the time comes.....however she is a tax accountant so I'm sure she is gonna be less than thrilled to be on call so close to tax day since that is her "busy season"! I might end up asking my mom to come out a week or so before my due date (she is retired and came for 2.5 weeks after my son was born to help out)

acleverusername

Thanks everyone for the stretch mark suggestions. I figure I'd give it a go. I'm not a big moisturizer so this will be an adjustment for me. 

acleverusername

Thanks for lurking @anniemarie887!!!

acleverusername

I'm slightly peeved at my OB. I knew that going from a world-class fertility doc to just a run-of-the-mill OB was going to be a hard switch, but like.... dooode.... don't tell me that I need to wait until at least 10 weeks for the NIPT, when I know you can do it after 9 weeks. So I emailed my fertility doc and even though this was a spontaneous pregnancy she'll do my NIPT blood draw for me. Seriously thinking of switching to a midwife for my prenatal care. 

acleverusername

Doctor update: I pulled one helluva trick to get a new OB. Haha. I found an office that was accepting new patients and called them in the morning. They asked "what's your LMP?" And I told them what it was, but then also tried telling them that I ovulated on CD20/21 so my due date would be 1 week later. The receptionist was like "yeah, but we need to put LMP in our generator." So she did, and then she came back to me and says "unfortunately all of our doctors are at capacity for that month of delivery (which would be March) so we can't take you on." So, I was bummed, and I was mulling over that all day, then I had an epiphany: to them, my LMP is whatever I say it is. So I waited until the end of the day, and called again. I got the same person, so I had to modulate my voice a bit and this time I gave an LPM of 7 days later (which is what our ultrasounds are showing). She put me on hold for a long time, and then came back and said "yep, OK. Such and such doctor can take you on!" Score!!! Hahaha. I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself. 

etnyah

@acleverusername nice! That was my plan too this time around, as to not be too far off since my cycles are usually long. I somehow ovulated on CD14 this time which has never happened before, so I’ve been sticking to my actual LMP! But yeah, OBs are so rigid with their dates. It makes sense for people who don’t know when they ovulated, but if you know they should listen!

acleverusername

@etnyah YEAH! Like, at the end of the intake call, the receptionist asks me "is there anything else you want the doctor to know?" And I said "Yeah... I'm coming off 2 years of infertility, and I know way more than your regular patient. So I want a doctor who's a partner, and not one who treats me like I don't know anything about this stuff." We'll see if that actually happens. 

etnyah

@acleverusername fingers crossed they will! 

I really liked my previous OB for that reason, he didn’t condescend or dismiss. He left the clinic last year, and the birth center closed down too. If he was still there I probably would have stayed with the clinic even though it’s a trek now since we moved, but I switched to a closer one for convenience. The place I went to today for my US was some random private place I found, I still haven’t talked to my new OB yet.  

acleverusername

Also, my dog tried to get herself killed today by running out onto the street just as a fast moving vehicle was driving by. She came 1/2 foot from the moving car. I literally saw her life flash between my eyes. 

iiirene

@acleverusername that’s so scary! Glad your pup is ok! 

I also fudged the numbers a bit with my doctor but just because I ovulated earlier than normal (CD12) and didn’t want them to think I was a total maniac calling to schedule an appointment so early. 

nonlinear_function

@acleverusername both my children have been IUI, so I definitely know when I ovulated! For my 05/19 son, my OB messed something up, so they thought he was a week "younger" the whole pregnancy, and were all up in arms about how big he was measuring. I was like, I can tell you everything about how it happened, when it happened, my hcg levels every other day and then every week until 8 weeks. I'm not saying I know more than you, but I'm not wrong on this. 

etnyah

I’m annoyed at my OB office. My first visit, which I was told was a one hour phone visit (ugh)? Turns out it’s a first of several group visits! It’s about dealing with nausea, how much caffeine is safe etc. I bet all the others will be similarly useless. I know this, I’ve been through it before! I don’t have time for an hour of going through boring shit, right at the time I walk in the door from work and need to cook dinner and solo parent (my H works evenings so we literally trade off my son in the door three days a week). What a waste of time.

nsk489

Guys I am FUMING. After a really long travel day back to Oregon, I'm waiting for my checked luggage (including car seat) and apparently the airline left my car seat in Seattle (where I had a layover).
Also annoyed bc I wanted to gate check it bc I was afraid of it getting lost or damage and my husband convinced me not to

acleverusername

Grrrrr. I bet your husband is sheepish right now. 

etnyah

@nsk489 hi from the Seattle burbs! That’s infuriating.

nonlinear_function

Oh no @nsk489! Sounds like he owes you a present in addition to dealing with all the future carseat issues (pick up, install, etc). 

I'm sewing my first "maternity dress" tonight. I make 99% of my clothes, majority dresses, but most have a pulled in waist. This obviously won't due in a few months, so now I'm pivoting to empire waists, so it isn't too obvious as long as I can hide it. 

acleverusername

@nonlinear_function share a photo when you're done! I love looking at others' sewing talent productions. 

nsk489

Well the car seat made it back to my house safe and sound. The airline said it was left in Seattle but actually somebody else took mine by mistake 😡 not sure how that even happens, you would think they would realize it's not their car seat when they go to put it in their car!
@etnyah one of these days I'll finally make it up to visit Seattle and not just the mess of an airport 😝
@nonlinear_function so neat! I would love to learn how to sew

ohkaylabobayla

I also sew @nonlinear_function! I am a teacher and don’t have the brain power to do it much during the school year but I’m hoping to make myself some maternity and nursing gear as well when I get a little further along. Do you do paper patterns or PDFs? Would love to see what patterns you might make! 

nonlinear_function

Finished the dress last night. It doesn't have much hanger appeal, but it's comfortable, isn't obviously maternity, and will still be long enough to wear to school when my bump pushes out. 

@nsk489 buy a machine and get started! I never sewed anything until covid lockdown, I needed something to do with my hands. I started making cotton tops for my kids, and expanded into knits when I got a serger a year or so ago. Now I only buy stuff I don't want to make myself, it's lots of fun to make clothes for the tiny humans, with all the fun prints available. 

@ohkaylabobayla what do you typically make? I use exclusively PDF patterns now, I love how you can print them in the exact size you need. I got a projector for Christmas, but we put it up in an inconvenient spot, so it hasn't been totally life changing and will move soon. I bought a few new  maternity/nursing patterns last night, so I can get ahead of the game before school gets too intense. 

MsBeachNJ

Does anyone have any fun social media/family/friends announcements planned? I'm trying to get creative with #3 and I always love hearing/seeing how others share the fun news! 

ohkaylabobayla

@nonlinear_function I use PDFs too! I mostly make myself clothes or cosplays. Sometimes gifts for my niece and nephews. I love rad patterns among many others. I haven’t tried the projector thing yet but I really should because piecing them together is the worst part hahah. And it looks really cute! I don’t know how to make it larger on my phone sadly I’ll have to get out my laptop to look more closely. 

acleverusername

@nonlinear_function I love the bee fabric! I'm sure the dress will look great ON you. 

acleverusername

Big eyerolls at the random threads this week, especially about the latest sneakpeek one. 

etnyah

@acleverusername for real. I’m not going to respond anymore. They won’t hang around anyway, not worth it. 

Side note: If they think I’m rude, they should have seen my previous BMB’s responses 

nonlinear_function

@acleverusername and @etnyah I'm sure they are my former students who cannot be bothered to follow directions and be part of the learning community! I don't know about you, but I loooove answering intimate questions about strangers pee sticks and cervical mucus. /s You gotta buy me a (nonalcoholic) drink first! 

acleverusername

etnyah

@acleverusername 🤣🤣