April 2017 Moms
MWoodside
member
Monday Ticker Change
MWoodside
member
1. How far along are you?
2. How big is baby?
3. Team pink, blue or green?
4. Appts this week?
5. Symptoms?
6. Rants/Raves?
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week?
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby?
DD1 born 5/24/10.
Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.
DD2 born 5/14/13.
Missed M/C at 9 wks July 2015.
Expecting someone new 4/17/17.
Re: Monday Ticker Change
1. 36 wks!
2. Romaine lettuce.
3. Pink.
4. Chiro today, routine prenatal and NST Thursday. I will find out my GBS results this week.
5. Feeling good this week. Some insomnia, but not terrible. Achy when getting out of bed.
6. Rant- DH and I are not on the same page re: selling a completely unnecessary 3rd car we have and it is really pissing me off. I am not going to let it go so he needs to get over it.
7. Paid the second half of our doula bill (paid off now, woo hoo!), DH washed the coverings to the co-sleeper and bouncer, major progress in the basement being all situated, DH painted the bathroom ceiling and door trim (I've been nagging him for months on this), I purchased the final few cloth diapers we needed, I repurchased a few skincare items I had run out of that were stressing me out b/c I wanted them for at the hospital. We also made a short list of little things we need to purchase at the end of March out of our next paycheck and we will use the Amazon registry completion code for those so they are written in the budget now.
8. Put a sheet on the crib mattress, fold a few cloth diapers, one more load of laundry. DH needs to reassemble the co-sleeper and bouncer now that he washed the coverings. That's about it! Getting close now!
DD1 born 5/24/10.
Missed M/C at 14 wks Feb 2012.
DD2 born 5/14/13.
Missed M/C at 9 wks July 2015.
1. How far along are you? 36 weeks
2. How big is baby? The size of a power drill or a 2 liter of Mountain Dew. Both which would appeal greatly to DH.
3. Team pink, blue or green? Pink!
4. Appts this week? Wednesday OB and cervical check, Friday preregistration at the birthing center.
5. Symptoms? Reflux (better, but still there), sweating, insomnia, exhaustion, etc.
6. Rants/Raves? Today means I have three weeks left at work. I was awake last night googling "how to transition to SAHM"because frankly it terrifies me and I feel as though all my baby prep has been prepping for HER, and I need to think about the emotional prep for a change in my identity and lifestyle.
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? Last load of washing done, nursery organized, more thank you cards written, used registry completion discount and bought some nursing bras. Selected a pediatrician.
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? Decorate nursery (not as important but I'd like to get it done), finish thank you cards (because I don't want to be doing this later with a baby), make postpartum care kit, pack hospital bag, install car seat, maybe get some freezer meals prepped, tie up loose ends at work. Write out birth plan, review labor techniques. Do I actually need to boil my new breast pump parts or can I just sanitize them in my microwave sanitizer?
1. How far along are you? 36 weeks
2. How big is baby? Papaya
3. Team pink, blue or green? Pink!
4. Appts this week? Today OB/cervical check and NST, Wednesday Ultrasound
5. Symptoms? Heartburn (always no matter what I eat) and hip pain at night (the usual...)
6. Rants/Raves? 3-ish more weeks of work! I'm so ready for a break even though I know my department is dreading me being gone.
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? Last bit of laundry is done and hospital bags are pretty much packed. I need to look at the car seat to see if any of it needs to be spot cleaned but I think it's good to go as well. Not much else on our list!
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? Just waiting on a few more things to be delivered (personalized onesies for the hopsital and the sign for above her crib). I also need to finish wrapping DS' big brother gift - just needs some tissue paper in the bag. Other than that - I think we should be pretty good.
1. How far along are you? 37 weeks
2. How big is baby? Romaine Lettuce
3. Team pink, blue or green? Pink
4. Appts this week? Regular checkup on Thursday. My doc isn't available for the next 3 weeks, so I'll be seeing a midwife. I've had pretty good experiences with midwives so far though.
5. Symptoms? Lower abdominal pressure and hip/pelvis pain. The doc recommended a support belt, and it seems to be helping.
6. Rants/Raves? I think I ranted about the delay in the crib delivery last week. I'm not crazy worried, but I thought I'd have her room done by now and it's getting to me a little.
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? We went on a shopping spree and bought everything we still needed, crib mattress, second car base etc. We cleared out a kitchen cabinet for her bottles and feeding supplies. I also got some nursing bras and tops.
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? Once the crib arrives, we'll put the decorations on the wall and the clothes in her dresser.
2. Baby's the size of a winter melon
3. Team blue
4. Appointment Thursday this week. Having them weekly these days
5. Pain radiating from my pubic bone to the inside of my ankle, oh the joys! Low back pain when I sleep/ interrupted sleep.
6. Rant: Putting on my shoes is the actual hardest part of my day. Once they are on I can walk forever, but I think I"m going into labor every time I have to bend over and lace. SO MUCH WORK. Rave: DH has been amazing this week. He is helping me every way he can. He gets our 18 month old ready for bed and puts him down, does a lot of the laundry and all the putting clothes away, helps pick up dinner... all after working a physically demanding job while I work from home part time. Then he massages my feet in bed. I'm a lucky mama!
7. I've done NOTHING to prepare for baby this week. I got the essentials done a few weeks ago, and apparently I'm waiting until I go into labor to wrap this up..
8. I still need to pack a labor bag for DS to go to grandma's house, clean my house at least somewhat, donate all the clothes and toys we don't need anymore (this is the main project I've done while nesting), make a few more freezer meals, pack my birth center bag, and make arrangements for someone to watch our dog while we are at the birth center!
1. How far along are you? 35 Weeks (feels like a huge milestone this week)
2. How big is baby? Bunch of carrots
3. Team pink, blue or green? Blue-No name decided upon again this week
4. Appts this week? None
Still on 3 week rotations so none until next week
5. Symptoms? Nauseous started to come back this week and I'm terrified it is going to stick around, indigestion, feeling huge, some trouble sleeping
6. Rants/Raves? Only 3 weeks left of work-I'm really trying hard to stay positive. I'm so tired when I get home I have no energy to do anything.
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? Washed all the baby stuff-still need to put some away though. Had a baby basics class scheduled for tonight but we cancelled because I was too tired and didn't want to be out late at it. Hopefully we can figure out how to take care of a baby without it.
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? So much! Clean and organize the house, buy some breastfeeding supplies, pack hospital bags, write birth plan, find a pediatrician, Set up crib, pre-register at hospital, come up with plan for dog
Side note-I can't believe how many are at the 36-38 week mark already!
1. How far along are you? 35 Weeks
2. How big is baby? Pineapple
3. Team pink, blue or green? : pink, Charlotte Grace
4. Appts this week? I have my last ultrasound on Wednesday to Check growth. It's surreal how after this the next time I will see her after this is when she's out in the real world and in our arms
5. Symptoms? Reflux is a killer and this insomnia is out of control
6. Rants/Raves? Next week is my last week of work! I'm so exhausted and am just ready to get some much needed rest before she gets here!
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? Car seat is installed and hospital bags are in the car ready to go! I'm also training the new person who's taking my position at work
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? I need to contact my insurance about my breast pump (I have to wait until 30 days before my due date), clean my house since it's a disaster, wash baby's crib sheets and finish up the nursery, buy some essentials that are left on my registry, finish up baby shower thank yous
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dogs-and-babies
Married: 5/30/2013
DSS #1: 5/25/2007
DSS #2: 1/22/2011
DS #3: 7/8/2012
BFP: 3/14/2016 ~ MC: 3/19/2016
DS #4: 4/21/17
I actually copied that post and sent to my mom. Here it is:
The Basics:
1. If you don't already do any training, start with some basics. Sit, wait, stay, etc. I use "clicker" training but my voice (a high pitched YES!) is the "clicker". Get a high-quality special treat. There are lots of youtubes, but basically, you say the command (Sit), give a motion with treat in hand and then YES! and treat when they do it. Lots of repetition until you can wean the hand motion, then wean the treat and you can tell pup to sit anywhere in the house and she does, even if treats aren't involved. It does take a while to get there, but SO worth it!
2. Walk your dog, every day if possible. Even if they get "exercise" somewhere else, walking sets up a great dog-human relationship and will help with all behaviors. They do need to walk nicely on leash, but that's a LOT of work and a whole post on its own! Even 10-15 minutes is better than nothing.
3. Dogs can learn or re-learn by positive association. In other words, yummy food! So if a friend brings over a baby, you treat and treat and treat so pup thinks "wow, babies are amazing, I get so much food!" Dog doesn't like when you snuggle DH, treat and treat and treat while you snuggle so dog thinks it's the best! I love having a treat belt (it's like a fanny pack and costs about $10 at pet stores) to put on if there's anything new I want Torii to feel comfortable with.
Specific commands for baby-prep:
4. "Settle". Point to pup's bed and say "settle". That means she is to go there and lay down. My dog has now a good stay (45 minutes at least), so then I put her in a stay if I need to. This gives her a place to be and a job. We have a dog bed in all the important rooms, although you could even use a folded blanket. When DD was little, that included the nursery. So you can imagine, I'm trying to change the runny diaper of a screaming newborn, pup gets nervous, gets underfoot, everyone is stressed, I yell at dog, dog has bad association with screaming baby. So instead, we tell pup "settle" before we start and then she gets praise and treats during what could be a stressful situation, giving her a positive association. Also very helpful if you will have more visitors over to meet baby.
5. "Leave it". To teach this, put leash on, toss a treat on the ground far enough that it can't be reached and give a strong, deep "leave it". The second pup looks at you, YES! and treat. Repeat over and over, eventually getting rid of leash. We taught leave it with every. single. baby toy that came into the house while pregnant. 3 years later and Torii still knows not to go near the kiddo's stuff. This is especially important if pup is used to having stuffed toys to play with. They won't know the difference between their's and baby toys.
Other ways to prep/considerations:
6. Stop "free-feeding". Feed pup on a schedule. Pick the bowl up after a certain amount of time (5 minutes). This is to avoid any issues with dog becoming upset and even just anxious when your crawling baby discovers the food bowl. We learned that we didn't need to pick up with empty bowl, because our dog has shown zero concern or notice if DD touches it, but we waited a long time to make sure. Set your dog up for success and don't give her a reason to get jealous or nervous. Plus, feeding time become a great time to make pup show off all their tricks before they eat!
7. Try to help pup get used to all the noises and gear they may hear with baby and give positive associations (remember, yummy, special food) with those! Play babies crying on youtube. If you have a noise machine, a swing that moves, etc. Again, another great training opportunity ("puppy sit! YES!" Then play a noise for a while, as puppy stays calm, YES! and treat).
8. Don't leave your pup alone with baby. Ever. We do now, but again, DD is 3. We've had a lot of time to observe them together and for them to develop a great relationship. I would just hate to put my pup in a situation where they aren't successful and it's not really their fault.
9. Have guests all give pup a treat when they enter (once barking is stopped, if you have a talker). If they aren't dog people, they can even just toss it on the bed for pup to find.
10. If you have a jealous pup, practice putting pup in his "settle" spot and then rock and sing to a "baby" of blankets or a stuffed animal. Don't look at the pup at ALL but toss treats to him the whole time. With a newborn, you'll spend a lot of time either nursing or bottle feeding. You don't want pup to be jealous, you want them to think "yes, mom's doing that thing with the babyagain, I get a snack!!!" Work up to pup "settling" and being chill for 30 minutes (start small).
11. This was the absolute hardest for us. When baby is sleeping (FINALLY) - ignore your dog. Tough, right? So, this comes from positive associations again. Dog will think "finally, that babydisappeared, NOW I can finally get some attention around here." A negative association will start to form. You want pup to think this baby is the best thing that ever happened. So you can't put baby down and immediately turn to pup to love on her tons. It will backfire. Instead, baby wakes up crying (instant YES! and treat), invite pup with you to get the baby. Baby being awake is when treats and meals happen. If you can manage, put baby in a carrier to toss the ball or tug or whatever puppy loves at least now and then so they think "baby is around, I get to play!"
12. Pup is ALWAYS allowed to walk away from a situation. Never force your dog to be sat on, tugged on, in a loud room, in a photo, etc. They get to leave if they are nervous as being nervous AND trapped can lead to aggression (flight or fight). Watch for cues like ears back, licking lips, yawning. These all signal being afraid. Along these lines, once you have a crawler, dog's bed is 100% always off-limits to baby. Pup deserves a safe place where they won't be disturbed.
13. Finally, even if you don't plan on it, a LOT of people end up with baby in their bed at some point. I know we were in the "never-ever co-sleep" camp. Uhhhhh, yeah right. Anyway, just make sure you know, besides other safe co-sleeping practices, that animals are not safe in bed with you and baby. If you think this will be an issue, better to get them in their own bed (on the ground) now, rather than after baby is born.
DD #2: May 2020
Baby #3: EDD May 2023; MC October 2022
Super late to the game here...
1. How far along are you? Baby J is 2 weeks and 6 days old! I would have been 38 weeks and 3 days.
2. How big is baby? We went to a breastfeeding support group on Tuesday and did a weighted feed there. After he ate, he was 6 lbs 15.5 oz! My little fat fat! He's gained over a lb since birth.
3. Team pink, blue or green? blue
4. Appts this week? nope
5. Symptoms? Incision line seems to have heat rash on it, my lower stomach has some nerve pain, but really I'm just so dang tired!
6. Rants/Raves? Rant: I can't find the time to eat, shower, or sleep Rave: WHEN I get to do those things, it's amazing! Rave: I finally get to pick up all his goodies on Saturday from our would have been baby shower.
7. What have you done to prepare for baby this week? N/A
8. What do you still need to do to be ready for baby? Nursery still isn't finished, but it's mostly been a financial thing. Our (small but appreciated) tax return came in, so I plan to use some of that to finish grabbing a few things (after Saturday).
"Some other suggestions that we did for our dog and cat: