@jess0211 I think we did all 3 of those but made sure there weren't duplicates of items. BRU has WAY more options and Target has some better prices on options that are available in both stores.
@DuchessOfCambridge I prefer BRU for most things but the upper scale stuff I like for baby I get at BBB. This time, I have a small Amazon wishlist that is private right now.
@sojoba I used bio-oil with my first but then nothing at all with second and third pregnancies. I only got stretch marks on my boobs from being engorged
I've been using coconut oil as well and then I use cocoa butter at night.
Last time, I made both a Target and a BRU registry but didn't duplicate items. This time, I'll just have a wishlist on Amazon with ideas. I don't think I'll be as picky this time around. Plus then I can buy things off of my wish list as I am able to.
ETA: Ds calls me mommy unless he's mad at me. Then it's just mom lol. When he was younger, it was momma
@zigzag8412 I have read stretch marks are based on your genes. However my 1st I used cocoa butter religiously and did not get stretch marks. My 2nd I got much bigger than my 1st and I used whatever I felt like.... cocoa butter, coconut oil and whatever lotion I happened to have on hand and I did not do it daily. Still no stretch marks. My mother never got any either.
I already have stretch marks from growing up so I'm not convinced any lotion or oil will help me. I do occasionally use a body oil from the Body Shop to soothe my skin. My areolas have been getting peeling skin, probs from growing boobs.
I'm using BRU for the return policy and for the broad selection that's not too expensive. It's helped keep my choices for things more manageable cost wise.
My DS calls me "Mommy" and my mom "momma" because he's going to call her "grandmomma" but can't say grand yet lol. I registered for my first at BBB, BRU and Target because we had a BBB close to us where we lived at the time. Unfortunately, there's no BBB where most of my family lives, so we ended up getting most things from BRU and Target. I will say that the majority of things from BBB you can get from either of the other stores for cheaper.
Both my children started out calling us "Mama" and "Dada" even though we say "Mommy" and "Daddy" around them. Honestly, I was so elated that first time they said it at all, I didn't care what they said. It was beautiful, and of course they both said "Dada" first, haha. We never used those words though, and even so they continued to call us that each for about 6 months - a year, depending on the kid. When my son started using Mommy and Daddy all of a sudden one day, I actually cried a little because I knew we were moving into a new stage. Now when he's not feeling good, he'll revert to those old names and it tugs on my heartstrings.
I used a body butter (I picked one up that I like the smell of at The Body Shop) and I still got stretch marks. It was more so to help with dry skin and keep the itching at bay since I have sensitive skin.
I swear by coffee scrub. I made my own and used it on my belly but not my boobs. I got stretch marks on my boobs, but none on my belly until the very end of my pregnancy when I ran out and was too lazy to make more.
I'm all about multiple registries and working the discounts and coupons to get the best deals on what you still need when the showers are over. I'm going to start registries at both BRU and BBB this time for my own personal benefit. I plan on taking DS with me and letting him do the scanning because that will make his day lol
I will say, BBB does often seem to have the price reflect the fact that everyone uses 20% off coupons.
@c+mpeachey with my first, he was born in June. I also followed the "one more layer than you" rule. Plus, since he was my first, we were inside a lot of the summer. I didn't take him to the pool or anything like that though. When we were out at the zoo or whatever I always had a muslin blanket to help keep him warm enough/protected from the sun.
I've never used anything on my belly and don't have stretch marks. I have some on my boobs and thighs though So I'm a believer in genetics, I guess.
This. I got like 2 tiny stretch marks in my "overdue" week with DS but never used anything. But I have them in lots of other places from puberty. I don't think they're avoidable.
@DuchessOfCambridge I bought a bradley childbirth workbook and a book and my husband and I worked through the exercises together. I found it very helpful to imagine what was physically happening to my body during a contraction-- the muscles were working together to get baby into the best position to come out of you. The workbook was great because it teaches your husband or coach how to coach you. In the middle of a contraction it was helpful to have someone remind me-- relax your head, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw. etc, etc. It gave me something to focus on. It's also nice to imagine the contraction as a wave--- you know it's going to end. Doing the workbook was a way for the two of us to "practice" for labor and for me to feel more prepared. We did it before our first but not our second and I felt like we were more in sync for the first birth.
I'm sure this has been asked before and sorry if this is a repeat but how far along were your when you registered/when is everyone planning on starting to register? My mom is already planning my shower for early July (super early because we plan on moving this summer) so I'm guessing I should register soon if she wants to send out invites in the next few weeks?
@safinn21 I started a registry pretty early because I just got excited. I get overwhelmed by all the things so I've been adding to it slowly, moreso after I got the baby bargains book and felt less intimidated by everything. I'm shooting to have my registry done late June when my shower invitations will be sent out.
I didn't finish my registry until third tri with my first, mostly because I was intimidated by all the choices. But with this one I started a list (not a registry because I don't plan to have a shower) as soon as I found out, because I know what I need.
@DuchessOfCambridge I always expected my kids to call me Mom or Mommy, but they all call me Mama and I think it's really sweet. I especially love that my 10 year old still calls me Mama (and he'll do it in front of his friends).
@safinn21 I started my registry at 8 weeks haha. I go back and make sure things are still available and sometimes add more. For instance, BRU had a huge carters sale a few weeks ago and a lot of the clothes I registered for got sold out. My shower is in August and my MIL already ordered the invitations.
@DuchessOfCambridge@ooodalollly@slaven thanks! Did you guys mostly do everything online or have you gone in stores? I'll probably want to go in stores for strollers, cribs etc just to check the big stuff out but smaller stuff can probably just be picked out online. Also my mom definitely took advantage of that carters sale, she got a huge delivery today! Haha
@safinn21 I've been doing online only but I live in Korea. We move back to the States in a few weeks. I did a TON of research since before TTC on strollers and carseats so I'm quite confident in my choices. I'll probably look at them when we get back and change them on my registry if need be or return them if I get them as a gift. BRU has a great return policy and since I have to fly from GA to MA for my shower I'll basically have to return everything and buy it but have it shipped to our apartment.
@safinn21 Mostly online, except for a few local shops. I had registries at different stores/sites but synced them all on babylist. And of course big items I wanted to check out in person first.
@safinn21 the deadline to have your registry done by is when invites go out, so I would plan to work on it awhile before then because it does take a long time to create. One strategy is to only Jane on there what you really want (but items indifferent price points) and then once those are mostly purchased add more things you'd like to have. I kind of did that to make sure I didn't get just the extra stuff I didn't really need. And there isn't really a big need to register for clothes because people will give you those anyway when baby is born, is if they know the gender, sooner.
one thing about that... we were team green and so we mostly got necessities at our showers because the ladies didn't know the sex. Since they didn't know, we didn't get a bunch of outfits and blankets and things like that, which I was happy with, because we got what we needed instead. I do know some people who mostly got outfits and few 'items form their registry were purchased, and that was frustrating to them. So, if you are finding out the gender, consider announcing it at your shower (close family members could know but it could be a surprise for everyone else) so that you end up getting more of what you need...
@MississippiCatfish you've mentioned you loved laboring in water. This may be hard for me to understand having not gone through labor at all but what was better about it?
@DuchessOfCambridge For me, it just made contractions less intense. But I feel the same way when I have stomach cramps or body aches, too. I think you'll know pretty quickly if you like it or not if you try it:)
@DuchessOfCambridge For me, it just made contractions less intense. But I feel the same way when I have stomach cramps or body aches, too. I think you'll know pretty quickly if you like it or not if you try it:)
Agreed. I loved it in early labor. Once I hit transition, the movement of the water made me want to throw up (though, TBH, everything made me want to throw up during transition)
@kissthesky32 Vomiting during contractions has been one of my bigger childbirth fears. It sounds so terribly awful. I've had the shakes and cramps in my hips during transition/pushing with all my kids and that is something I'd be willing to pass on, too;)
@MississippiCatfish I had the shakes so bad too. No one told me that was a thing. I now tell everyone I know that's expecting that it's possible because after I had the epidural and wasn't feeling the contractions anymore, the shaking was the worse part. I was shaking so bad it hurt.
Re: FTM Questions for STMs+ 5/9
@sojoba I used bio-oil with my first but then nothing at all with second and third pregnancies. I only got stretch marks on my boobs from being engorged
Married: 11/2013
"Q" DS1: 3/2011
"T" DS2: 10/2012
"A" DD: 1/2014
EDD #4: 11/26/2017
I've been using coconut oil as well and then I use cocoa butter at night.
Last time, I made both a Target and a BRU registry but didn't duplicate items. This time, I'll just have a wishlist on Amazon with ideas. I don't think I'll be as picky this time around. Plus then I can buy things off of my wish list as I am able to.
ETA: Ds calls me mommy unless he's mad at me. Then it's just mom lol. When he was younger, it was momma
DS1 is 7. DD is 1. DS2 is coming in late April.
B/G Twins Elijah(Eli) and Abigail(Abby)-05/14/2015
Baby #3 due November 26th 2017
My DS calls me Mama or mommy
I'm using BRU for the return policy and for the broad selection that's not too expensive. It's helped keep my choices for things more manageable cost wise.
TTC since August 2018
~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
[spoiler]
~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
[spoiler]
I will say, BBB does often seem to have the price reflect the fact that everyone uses 20% off coupons.
@DuchessOfCambridge my son calls me Mama, it's so cute!!!
DS#2 3/15
Baby #3~
@safinn21 I started my registry at 8 weeks haha. I go back and make sure things are still available and sometimes add more. For instance, BRU had a huge carters sale a few weeks ago and a lot of the clothes I registered for got sold out. My shower is in August and my MIL already ordered the invitations.
TTC since August 2018
TTC since August 2018
one thing about that... we were team green and so we mostly got necessities at our showers because the ladies didn't know the sex. Since they didn't know, we didn't get a bunch of outfits and blankets and things like that, which I was happy with, because we got what we needed instead. I do know some people who mostly got outfits and few 'items form their registry were purchased, and that was frustrating to them. So, if you are finding out the gender, consider announcing it at your shower (close family members could know but it could be a surprise for everyone else) so that you end up getting more of what you need...