Weekly check ins October 31st

seeds_of_joy

EDD / Weeks + Days: 

Baby is the size of a(n):

Team blue/pink/green:

Upcoming Appointments: 

How are you feeling?: 

Rants/Raves: 

Questions:

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights?

amccurls

EDD / Weeks + Days: Feb 8, 25 + 5 

Baby is the size of a(n): Cauliflower or a size 14 men’s shoe 🤣

Team blue/pink/green: 🎀

Upcoming Appointments: I plan to go take my glucose test tomorrow afternoon and then regular appt on the 8th 

How are you feeling?: Good! She’s moving so much. 

Rants/Raves: Rave - we set up an appt to pick the interior design of our new house and only 3 weeks until we move into our temporary apartment! I’m so ready for some relaxation before baby comes. 

Questions: natm

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights?

First, playing card games during dinner. Then in bed, falling asleep to the same episode of my shows that I can’t seem to finish. 

fertile-turtle

EDD / Weeks + Days:  Feb 4/26+2

Baby is the size of a(n): kale

Team blue/pink/green: blue

Upcoming Appointments: tomorrow morning, combined glucose screening and regular appointment 

How are you feeling?: Pretty good, just large 😂 and that’s definitely only going to get worse

Rants/Raves: Rave: My grandparents came to visit this weekend, which was so good because usually we’d see them at Christmas but this year I’ll be 34 weeks so we’re not sure we’ll be able to make the 8 hour trip to see them. And given that they’re in their 80s and the last of my grandparents and great-grandparents, I was pretty stressed about not being able to go and maybe not being able to see them for who knows how long, so having them visit was great.

Questions: natm

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? In the fall, usually watching college football, preferably in person. We’ve got season tickets to our alma mater and it’s just so fun and low-key on the weekends when they’re at home. Otherwise, I love a low-key evening with a few friends.

seeds_of_joy

EDD / Weeks + Days:  23 weeks, 6 days

Baby is the size of a(n): cantaloupe 

Team blue/pink/green:pink

Upcoming Appointments: tomorrow...my 24 week visit 

How are you feeling?: Heartburn kicked in a week or 2 ago and I refuse to take tums this time around. My gallbladder is being silly because I've been eating too many of these coconut chia seed ball things my sweet friend made me since I have so many food allergies. Unfortunately the saturated fat triggers it but it's not too bad.

Rants/Raves: I just have a lot to be thankful for even though there's a lot of things going on that are difficult. I feel taken care of and at peace with it all. 

Questions: anyone else feel huge? Anyone else doing hypnobirthing?

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? Playing games with the family or cards with my friend, movie and popcorn night, sexy time with hubby, homeschool lesson plans (which is actually fun sometimes). I don't watch TV or movies through the week at all but I'm a sucker for Sunday night overly predictable cheesy Hallmark movies and Hoarders.

ttc3y

@seeds_of_joy I took a 5 week hypnobirthing class a few months ago and plan to incorporate it into my labor and delivery plan. I like their breathing exercises and I do appreciate the lingo they use like “surges” instead of “contractions”. It feels less scary to use their words. I also created my music playlist to help with relaxation.

EDD / Weeks + Days: 23 weeks and 3 days

Baby is the size of a(n): Grapefruit

Team blue/pink/green: 💚

Upcoming Appointments: about a month from now. But hopefully I will hear about my anatomy scan results sooner than that.  

How are you feeling?: I have a few minor nuisances like a low grade left hip and low back pain that hasn’t gone a way in the last few weeks. I have a little bit of reflux but it’s not requiring me to do anything about it. Overall, I still feel happy and content and no where close to feeling the misery in my first trimester. My baby is moving a lot and is quite active which is reassuring.

Rants/Raves: 

I had so much fun making a costume that utilized my baby bump for a Halloween party last weekend. I don’t get to have this opportunity often in life and I loved every moment of it. I posted a pic of my costume in the baby bump thread if you are interested to see it.

Questions: natm 

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? My fun weekend activities varies and I think I like it that way. Sometimes, we are busy. For example, last weekend we had a Halloween party and then the next evening I met with girlfriends for dinner. Next weekend my husband and I are with a team of friends to do a fun local evening scavenger hunt. Maybe we will attend a theatrical show or host a games night with friends. Other times, I have down time and I work on a sewing project or just veg. Sometimes rest is just as important as being social and connecting with friends. It just depends on what I need at that time to stay in balance. 

kamays54

@ttc3y we are due date buddies!  And I love your costume.  I love playing Mario and Zelda games.  So much fun!

@seeds_of_joy & @ttc3y what is hypnobirthing?  This is the first I've heard of this.  To be fair I haven't really researched birthing methods.

EDD / Weeks + Days: Feb 24 / 23 + 4

Baby is the size of a(n): Grapefruit

Team blue/pink/green: Pink

Upcoming Appointments: Next Tuesday for the glucose screen 

How are you feeling?: Overall good.  Some aches and pains and minor heartburn but nothing too bad that I need to take anything for.

Rants/Raves: Raves - My parents got into town yesterday and will be staying with us for a little over 2 weeks (which might be a rant for my husband lol).

Questions: None

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights?  I work an hour away and I work four 9s and one 4 so I am gone about 11hrs Monday-Thursday so our weekends are mostly chores during the day and watching TV or a movie at night.  We will do something with his family every once in a while.  We went to the state fair a few weekends ago and this past Saturday we carved pumpkins and played a board game.

cpk3535

EDD / Weeks + Days: 25W today

Baby is the size of a(n): cauliflower or a Napa cabbage- both good veggies in my book!

Team blue/pink/green: blue

Upcoming Appointments: Had a checkin last week with my high risk doc and an ultrasound. Both went well! Now I have appointments next week, and supposedly ultrasounds every 2-4 weeks thanks to my continued seizures during the pregnancy so far. 

How are you feeling?: Feeling big! This kid has got to be the biggest baby I’ve carried, but maybe it’s just me, lol. Both girls have been skinny and long, but to put it into perspective, I wore the same Halloween t-shirt I wore while pregnant with Ellie a few years ago last night, and it felt pretty tight. I would have been about 8 weeks further along with Ellie! I have some big guys in my family, as does my husband, so we’ll see 😬

Rants/Raves: Rave- we took our girls out to trick-or-treat last night at a really cool neighborhood nearby that creates a sort of special event and blocks the street so you can safely walk without getting hit by a car. They had a lot of fun ❤️ Rant- just got our car back from an insurance claim repair (their fault thank goodness) and the battery started having MAJOR issues. Turns out it’s a current lawsuit against these cars and I have to file through this third party thing. Such a pain 🙄

Questions: natm 

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? Hmmm, I love to watch a good movie with our kids and make a special dinner. We also watch lots of weekend sports, when the girls let us!

ttc3y

@kamays54 Hypnobirthing is a natural technique to manage the pain and support the labor and delivery process. I found the classes helpful and empowering. You learn more on their website: https://hypnobirthing.com/ . There is also a book you can read by Marie Mongan. I found the Hypnobirthing course with the local doula networks in my area. 

angbaby83

EDD / Weeks + Days: 25 weeks today

Baby is the size of a(n): Napa cabbage or baseball glove 🙂

Team blue/pink/green: green. 

Upcoming Appointments: had one on Halloween my next one is the week of thanksgiving which will be my glucose screen. Then after that I guess it’s every two weeks and I’ll have a growth scan on the 5th. 

How are you feeling?: ugh still with nausea which I think is not going away. And my pelvic pain just gets worse every day.  But love the baby movements. Makes me smile every time. Which is a lot because this baby is ACTIVE 🙂

Rants/Raves: rave is a successful Halloween. The kiddos had so much fun which was so fun for me. 

Questions: not at the moment

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? Weekend days are super busy usually because my husband doesn’t like to sit still so we usually do lots of activities. Nights we try to relax and catch up on tv. But usually we’re so tired we end up falling asleep 🤷🏻‍♀️ I also love to read so if I have a good book I’ll read. 

itsjess627

EDD / Weeks + Days: 25w 1d

Baby is the size of a(n):cauliflower 

Team blue/pink/green: blue 💙

Upcoming Appointments: a lifetime away. Nov 14 with MFM.

How are you feeling?: good! So very tired. 

Rants/Raves: I just love feeling our little guy move all the time. Our 6yo was laying with me tonight reading books and her litttle brother kept kicking her. It really made her laugh. 

Questions: none currently

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? We love board games. Not your typical trouble, sorry, clue but nerdy board games. So typically at least one evening weekend we will play games with friends while the kids play together. If we’re not gaming with friends, I love to just hang out at the house with my little family. Sometimes we find something to do, others we just like hanging out as a family. I love when my daughter wants to curl up with a good book. Our weekend nights and weeknights can look super similar since we homeschool and my husband has a unique work schedule. 

seeds_of_joy

@kamays54 I personally never got into hypnobirthing before this and I've given birth 5 times. I did skim a hypnobirthing book with my 2nd. But my best birth by far was where I incorporated scripture into my birth a lot. I was basically training my mind to stay focused on the positive by doing that and everything was very clear as far as what to do next. This time I came across a Christian hypnobirth app and online courses which is perfect for me because it's all scripture and Christ focused. I'm guessing there are probably helpful hypnobirthing apps for people who don't prefer Scripture though. My 5th birth didn't go as well and I think it was because I was in a negative place during my pregnancy and wasn't preparing myself mentally or spiritually like the one before. So I'm being very proactive this (possibly) final time.

seeds_of_joy

@itsjess627 another homeschooling mom! ❤️

@cpk3535 I was wondering where you've been. ☺️

kb1322

EDD / Weeks + Days: 2/7, 26w1d or so?

Baby is the size of a(n): turnip or head of kale 

Team blue/pink/green: 💙🌈

Upcoming Appointments: I’ll meet with my OB again for my 28w appointment and we’ll begin going over our birth plan, which is making things feel much more real  

How are you feeling?: I’m starting to feel a huge blend between anxiety and excitement to meet our baby soonish. Unfortunately, I experienced a late miscarriage in January that led to an emergency D&E, and I was prescribed cytotek (I thinks that’s how you spell it) to take at home two hours before my surgery so I would be dilated by the time I got to the hospital and could start my procedure ASAP, but the hospital was not prepared for me and my procedure and there was a HUGE lack of communication during the peak of Omicron. So I basically was sitting in the surgical floor waiting room and in my pre-op room alone, fully dilated, without any medication or support (my husband wasn’t allowed into the hospital and there was only one surgical nurse who could only check on me every thirty minutes or so because it was the weekend and the OR floor isn’t open on the weekends unless it’s an emergency), I don’t want to use the term PTSD, but I have some huge underlying worries that something could go wrong again and I could be left alone in a situation having no understanding of what’s happening and just being left in pain, so I’m very adamant about getting all of the information (like down to the last period of the sentence) and being coached and prepped ahead of time to avoid ever being left that exposed and vulnerable again. 

Rants/Raves: My husband is very supportive and will listen to all the things and ideas that I have that pop up. I’ve always worked around children since high school fifteen years ago (I worked in a Montessori in HS, then I was a nanny for five years with babies & toddlers, then I started working for the school district as a special education teacher assistant until I became a teacher myself). We’ve joked that I know a lot about children but nothing about economics, but it’s bittersweet because it’s so true 🤣 one humbling thing I accept though is that being responsible for other people’s babies and children doesn’t necessarily prepare you fully for your own 💙✨

Questions: Does anybody else feel like time is flying?! How are we already so close to the third trimester; the holidays CREEPED up this year! 

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? I love playing video games and hiking (although now we call it inclined walking because I feel like I’m waddling half the time on the trail 😅). We have a lab who keeps up entertained inside and outside, and we are both avid gamers on and off the screen so we are soaking in what we can until our +1 arrives 🙌

itsjess627

@seeds_of_joy yay! This is our third year! I love it and am super thankful to be able to homeschool 💜 

@kb1322 that sounds like a traumatic experience for sure. I hope you’ll be able to find peace after your 28 week appointment. 

Also, I agree. The third trimester is creeping up sooooo quickly 😳 I’m super excited but also feeling a bit ill prepared. I think I’ll feel better once I get more information at my appts Nov 14 & 28. I haven’t met my new drs yet. 

seeds_of_joy

@kb1322 that does sound like an awful experience!! 


@itsjess627 me too. I have my days where I want to rip out my hair but I wouldn't have it any other way. Generally, I love it too.

itsjess627

@seeds_of_joy oh most definitely agreed! 

fertile-turtle

@kb1322 that sounds like an incredibly traumatic experience, and I hope that your doctor is very understanding and you have all the support you need for your birth. Are you hiring a doula for extra support?

ttc3y

@kb1322 I’m so sorry you had such a traumatic experience earlier this year. I agree with you- asking questions, staying informed, and doing research on your own is important to stay empowered with any health condition and hospital stay. It really sucks that your husband could not be there for you as an advocate due to COVID. It helps when you have a family or close friend by your side when in a hospital setting. I think hospital policies have changed in the labor delivery rooms and allow one support partner and a doula. At least that is what they allow in the hospital we plan to birth in. 

Earlier this year, my mom had an incident where she had to go to the ER by ambulance and she wasn’t conscious at the time. The ER staff would not let myself or my dad accompany her. Instead, I had to call her nurse periodically every 1-2 hrs for updates - she got annoyed with me for calling so often but I didn’t care. My mother was so disoriented even when she finally became conscious again. Luckily, she found her cellphone that I sent with her and the paramedics and she would call me and tell me what she needed (food and pain meds) because she couldn’t find her call bell to ask for help herself. So I would call the ER nurse and advocate for my mom that way. The experience was far from ideal but my mom ended up being fine in the end. It’s scary when you or a loved one is in such a vulnerable position and alone in the hospital. 

I also second @fertile-turtle’s question, have you considered hiring a doula for additional support? Especially if you are birthing in a hospital setting, a doula can advocate for you and know how to navigate the hospital staff when you are at your most vulnerable. 

amccurls

@seeds_of_joy what’s the name of that app!? 

@kb1322 yes! It feels like it got here SO fast 

tessiesmom26

EDD / Weeks + Days: Feb 1st, 27w

Baby is the size of a(n): Lettuce or Hamburger phone

Team blue/pink/green: According to my growth US last week, we are still VERY MUCH team Blue lol.

Upcoming Appointments: Midwife checkup next Thursday. 

How are you feeling?: Okay during the day, but a tired mess by nighttime lol. Also having the hardest time focusing.

Rants/Raves: I passed my glucose test! It was a comedy of errors the entire process, but it's all over and I passed so I am good! I am a gastric bypass patient so I can't drink the sugary drink without getting sick, so I had to get the glucose infused intravenously. I went to the hospital, waiting 20 minutes to be called back, another 15 mins for the lab to come draw my blood for a baseline, then 45/50 mins for those results to come back. Once they finally did, the tried to input the IV and instead missed the vein and flushed the saline into my arm creating a big bubble. She tried the other arm (which was already poked by a student for my baseline draw) and couldn't get that vein either, so they had to switch to my hand. Finally got the IV all set, and then had to inject the fluid, wait 10 mins for the first draw, and then 1 hour for the second. My appt was at 11 and the last blood draw was at 2:15pm. The nurse was super nice and did sneak me a cupcake that someone had made for them for Halloween, which was nice and barely made it out to the car since I had been fasting up until the appt, lol. I'm just glad it's all over!

Questions: natm

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? I am lightyears behind the rest of the world and just now starting to watch Grey's Anatomy. I am up to season 11 finally, so I love just snuggling and catching up on the show, preferably on my heating pad lol. 

seeds_of_joy

@amccurls It's called Christian Hypnobirthing. They also have educational/encouragement videos you can purchase. There's sales for basically every holiday so look out for those. And when you sign up for the video course, you get the app for free for either life or a year. I can't remember. But there are free hypnobirthing tracks on the app and it's super cheap if you pay monthly and want all the tracks. Definitely worth it I think. You can follow them on Instagram and the newsletters are very encouraging. They also have a Facebook community which I would join if I had Facebook. I heard about it through a small book I read called Fearless Childbirth. And honestly, I have much more confidence about doing this again after hearing so many positive stories and listening to the lady's soothing voice. 

kamays54

@ttc3y and @seeds_of_joy thank you both for that information and the website and app. I have some research to do.

@kb1322 it is definitely going by super fast.  I am not prepared for the holidays or the baby!

kb1322

@tessiesmom26 Grey's Anatomy is one of my comfort shows! Although I always tend to stop it after season 10 and rewatch it from the beginning. Meredith as an intern are my favorite seasons 🤣

kb1322

@fertile-turtle @ttc3y I’ve looked into a doula, but my OB’s info on the delivery center says that they’re still only allowing one guest for the delivery. I’m scheduling a tour of the delivery center in three weeks so I’ll ask Amy TONS questions then (I don’t always trust being told something over the phone)! 🤓

ttc3y

@kb1322 The doula may not count as the one guest. The hospital I’m choosing will allow one guest and a doula who is put in a separate category.  

ttc3y

@tessiesmom26 Congrats on passing the glucose test!!! 😊😊😊

Paturkey

EDD / Weeks + Days: Feb 16th, 25w

Baby is the size of a(n): cauliflower/ napa cabbage/ acorn squash

Team blue/pink/green: Blue

Upcoming Appointments: I had my MFM scan last Friday and my OB follow-up on Tuesday. Next appointments are all at the end of the month (we don't do Thanksgiving in the UK). 

How are you feeling?: I'm fine. I have had some moments of uncomfortable gas but I'm not too uncomfortable yet. Long may it continue!

Rants/Raves: The results of my scan and OB follow-up are both a rant and a rave 😂 Everything went well at the scan and baby looks good and is growing well. He's more or less on track from the 20-week scan. We will have another scan at 28 weeks and see where he is then. As long as he doesn't move off his growth trajectory and dip below the 10th percentile for size, I'm cleared for birth in the birth centre (woohoo!!). Otherwise, they'll want me in the labour ward so baby can be monitored. Also, they won't want me to go past 40 weeks (I'm 42) but the OB promised it will be a discussion and it will remain my choice whether or not to be induced. So, things are good for now, I'll just have the low-level rolling anxiety leading up to my growth scans every four weeks. Apparently, my two kids were smaller than would be expected for someone of my height and weight so combined with the blood flow thing at week 20, I'm a clear candidate for growth restriction. Baby is currently ~42nd percentile for weight though, so he just needs to keep at it!

Questions: Nope

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? This question seems like it was relevant pre-pandemic and now I don't even know anymore! I have the kids every other weekend so it's either hang out at home after putting them to bed, or go out and do something when they're not here. That might be dinner w friends or going to a movie or sports event, or it might be having people over when we can be loud and not wake the kids Nothing too exciting over here!

karbaud

EDD / Weeks + Days: Feb 8 / 26w + 1

Baby is the size of a(n): Kale

Team blue/pink/green: Blue

Upcoming Appointments: November 21

How are you feeling?: I’ve had terrible migraines over the last 5 days. I assume it’s due to the 30-40° temperature swings each day. I’ve cried a lot because of them. Otherwise, I’m fine.

Rants/Raves: Raves—I passed the one-hour glucose test! Also, I’ve never really come out of pandemic mode. I work from home and only leave the house to go to dance or to run errands. I went to two dance events in the past week and really enjoyed them! Rant—The same woman who touches my belly without consent asked me yesterday, “Don’t you think it’s about time that you wear clothes for a pregnant woman?”. You’d think I was showing too much, but no. Lol. I had on maternity jeans, a long tank, and a slightly oversized shorter cardigan that hides my belly a bit. Apparently, I’m supposed to be showing off my belly. According to her, I’m not embracing pregnancy, and she hopes my baby knows I’ve enjoyed being pregnant. Honestly, I don’t enjoy it, and I think that’s totally fine. I’ll love him either way and pregnancy is a means to the end goal, which is having a child! This woman drives me crazy. Okay. Rant over. 😮‍💨 

Questions: This is probably a hot (sensitive) topic, but did you or do you plan to go through with circumcision for your boys? We see pros and cons on both sides, and it’s such a huge decision.

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? I’m so lazy! I dance every Friday night and Saturday morning. I’ll spend hours Saturday evening or Sunday morning cleaning. Then, I just relax with any additional free time.

tessiesmom26

@karbaud We had DS circumcised and will plan to do the same for this baby. DS was born very small, and we couldn't do it at the hospital after birth, instead we had to wait a month, but if put in the same situation again, we would proceed the same way.

Also, I know this is a heated topic, so I just wanted to share a perspective and will not debate it. 

nwshay

@karbaud my a17 group recently had a discussion about this and almost everyone said they didn't do it, or wouldn't again if they could re do their decision after doing it the first time. That being said, I don't think we're going to do it. I don't see a reason why!

angbaby83

@karbaud that lady needs to back off! The amount of opinions people have and feel they are entitled to share is ridiculous.  My kids are just fine and I definitely have not enjoyed any of my pregnancies.  

My son is circumcised and I left the decision up to my husband. I think more are deciding not to and honestly I might lean towards not doing it if I had to make the decision again.  

nwshay

EDD / Weeks + Days: 23+4 Feb 26

Baby is the size of a(n): bunch of grapes

Team blue/pink/green: bluuuuue

Upcoming Appointments: 11/8

How are you feeling?: Fairly good. Finally got a body pillow so I'm sleeping much better. I went to a music festival over the weekend, so I was on my feet for like 14 hours, after wandering Vegas for 2 days... Haha but doing fine. 

I've also been having breakthrough seizure for the past few weeks so we've had to adjust my meds. That always makes me more tired/cranky

Rants/Raves: see above

Questions: natm

GTKY: how do you like to spend your weekend nights? I'm pretty flexible. Love movie nights, but also like to go out and be social. 

amccurls

@karbaud we had our son circumcised and I was okay with it because it’s the “norm” and I didn’t want him to be made fun of later or deal with infection / whatever can happen with the extra skin. BUT I didn’t understand back then how it was done and I was truly hoping for a girl this time so I didn’t have to make that decision because I wouldn’t want to go through with it this time. 

fertile-turtle

@karbaud I’m with you on not enjoying pregnancy, even though I’ve mostly had an easy pregnancy as far as symptoms go. And that lady is way too in your business! Even family members have left my belly alone - no way I’d be comfortable with an acquaintance doing that, and then making comments on how I’m dressed!

As for circumcision, I’m leaving it up to my husband, who wants to do it. The data is pretty equivocal as far as the balance of risks and benefits, and as long as they’re using appropriate pain management for the procedure and it’s performed correctly by a doctor, I don’t have a strong opinion. What I wouldn’t be ok with is the old-school practice of just using sugar water as “pain control”, because that’s definitely not sufficient.

itsjess627

@karbaud I’m leaving it up to my husband as well. I don’t want to decide 😵‍💫. However, it is dependent if our little guy could even handle it. As of what we know now, he may have to have 1 out of 3 major surgeries within a week of being born. Hopefully I’ll get more information this month but likely won’t have most details until he’s born.  

seeds_of_joy

We had all 4 boys circumcised. I'm not for or against it. I didn't love it though....also left it up to my husband and I don't regret it but I'm super happy I don't need to go through all that again. You might want to look into 8th day circumcision. It's when the blood clots the most and there are different procedures that are less brutal than our first son's "give him a lollypop and use a paper punch method". Our 3 homeborn boys were taken to a different doctor about a week after birth and I preferred her method by far. 

karbaud

@amccurls, I was also hoping for a girl just so that I wouldn't have to make this decision! That didn't work out for me. 

@itsjess627, that sounds stressful. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly, and he recovers quickly from any surgeries.

Thank you all for your honest thoughts. I know this can be a heated topic, and your responses were exactly what I was hoping for—your thoughts without judging either option. Like many, I thought I'd let my husband decide as well since he's been through it. Originally, his response was, "Yeah. Why wouldn't we? I'm circumcised and I don't remember a thing." He also pointed out some pros to it. However, as we research more, we've both become more indecisive. As a couple who has taken over 3 hours to decide on dinner in the past, making decisions is not our strong suit. Lol. I'll probably do a little more research as that's my nature. But, I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong option.

nwshay

@karbaud I'd recommend him to do some reading about it, or even some podcasts. Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert has a special episode about it and it's what changed my husband's opinion. No judgement either way, at all. I was also leaving the final decision up to my husband and totally understand pros and cons on both sides. 

seeds_of_joy

@karbaud I'm also appreciative how everyone is super nonjudgmental about the topic here.  It's a breath of fresh air for me after experiencing extreme opinions a number of times from both sides. 

itsjess627

Agreed! It’s super refreshing! It’s nice to be able to have an open conversation.