I have heard people get the shakes as a reaction to the epidural. Is that why, or was it just from the contractions?
I've had it during my unmedicated births, too. I honestly don't know the physiology behind it. Feels yucky, though!
I think it's a reaction to the pain and stress. My throwing up started pre-epidural and also was a reaction to pain, I believe (since I've thrown up a couple times after getting hurt in my life).
@liz4382 I had the shakes with all 3 deliveries. 2 with epidural and 1 without. During the ones with epidurals, I felt like I was cold and shivering. For the one without, I didn't feel cold, but I couldn't stop shaking. Not sure how it was for others though. Also, I didn't throw up during delivery, but I did have nausea.
@zigzag8412 I used Palmers Cocoa butter lotion on my stomach through my whole 1st pregnancy and a little while post partum and didn't get any stretch marks. I'm using it again this time and hoping for the same results!
ETA: I've heard stretch matks are genetic also but my mom got horrible stretch marks from me and she was very jealous that I ended up without any.
Clothing question: what do you guys prefer when it comes to shorts/pants--full panel, side panel, under belly, something else I don't even know about? I'm going to need to bite the bullet and go shopping sometime soon but I'm not really even sure where to start with the different fits. I'll def try some options but I figured some advice from pros would be helpful too
@ick101 I personally like full panel just for the extra support! During the early months I love having a Bella band so I can wear my normal jeans unbuttoned. It might be best to try on the different kinds at Target or something because you may love some and absolutely hate others.
@Ick101 my side panel jeans do not stay up at all right now. It's kind of annoying. Maybe they'll stay up better as I get bigger? My full panel pants (same size/brand, but not jeans) are great.
@lck101 I'm apparently in the minority, but I love my underbelly jeans. I have some side panel shorts and they are okay, but not nearly as nice as the underbelly. Full panel is my least favorite. They make me itchy and claustrophobic and seem to always ride down and aren't easy to pull back up. I'm super pear-shaped though, so my butt and thighs hold up the underbelly ones really well.
@lck101 I'm apparently in the minority, but I love my underbelly jeans. I have some side panel shorts and they are okay, but not nearly as nice as the underbelly. Full panel is my least favorite. They make me itchy and claustrophobic and seem to always ride down and aren't easy to pull back up. I'm super pear-shaped though, so my butt and thighs hold up the underbelly ones really well.
+1. all nine months.
The only way I've found to keep full panel jeans up is to wear a cotton cami UNDER the full panel. The fabrics catching together gives a lot more friction than skin. Looks ridiculous when you take that top shirt off at the end of the day though.
I preferred full panel. I felt like it rounded my belly out nicer than under the belly which just made me feel like my belly was hanging out to jiggle.
Agree with @ElizabethSchuyler - I like the full panel for comfort and support but also because it helps give a nice rounded shape. I have an umbilical hernia left over from DS1 (thanks for that!) - and so this helps the shape.
I'm not a STM but so far I prefer my side panels. Full panels either fall down or are already too tight at the top of the band. Plus they will be sooo hot in the summer.
Clothing question: what do you guys prefer when it comes to shorts/pants--full panel, side panel, under belly, something else I don't even know about? I'm going to need to bite the bullet and go shopping sometime soon but I'm not really even sure where to start with the different fits. I'll def try some options but I figured some advice from pros would be helpful too
With my son I hated full panel. I was all under belly. This time I think full panel is GLORIOUS. I would recommend going to try some things on.
~Mom to an amazing Jan 2011 boy~ ~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
I am planning on breastfeeding and pumping. Do I NEED a bottle warmer? Also, is the sterilizer contraption necessary?
No and No. I never warmed milk for Aidan. He drank it out of the fridge if that's what ended up happening although usually I'd try to remember to pull it out to de-chill.
I never seterilized jack crap. Hand washed with hot soapy water like the rest of my dishes.
For pump parts I used models steamer bags.
~Mom to an amazing Jan 2011 boy~ ~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
@Ick101 I'm a stm and i prefer full panel. The ones that go under the bump just don't feel very comfortable for me. I feel like the full panel stays up for me better.
@jess0211 I breastfeed exclusively and pumped and my husband wanted a bottle warmer for when he had to feed DS a bottle. I don't think it was worth it though, when you can microwave water for a minute and then pop the bottle in the water.
I'm team full panel all the way. By the way, H&M makes super cute maternity pants. Super comfy, cute, come in a variety of styles, full panel is cotton stretch and not itchy at all! Highly recommend.
I love full panel. I started early this time around. They slip down a bit at this point, but much better than my normal pants. They round out the belly too.
Ive formula fed and breast fed, and had a bottle warmer both times. Do you need one? No, you can warm bottles easily with warm water in a coffee cup, but the warmer is convenient. The sooner you can get the baby adjusted to cold milk, the better!
@lck101 I'm apparently in the minority, but I love my underbelly jeans. I have some side panel shorts and they are okay, but not nearly as nice as the underbelly. Full panel is my least favorite. They make me itchy and claustrophobic and seem to always ride down and aren't easy to pull back up. I'm super pear-shaped though, so my butt and thighs hold up the underbelly ones really well.
It's so funny reading the comments - I have never thought about the type of maternity pants changing the way my belly looks! I thought it was all about the feel. Who knew??
I'm a FTM but one of our friends was a genius (I thought) because he just left a crockpot with water going all the time when his wife was working (she's a nurse, so some odd hours) and popped the milk in there to warm up when needed. So quick & easy!
Full panel can be hot and annoying, but I've yet to find a pair of underbelly that weren't flat out uncomfortable for me. I'm very sensitive to tight clothes and underbelly always feel tight (or loose enough to fall down) whereas full panel are vaguely claustrophobic, but not tight.
The exception is yoga pants. I love my under belly yoga pants. I look forward to putting them on all day. They are super lose though and I'm always hiking them up lol
With my first I started my registry early and got all the gender neutral stuff on there, then once I knew it was a boy I added boy clothes.
I like full panel because they're so supportive later in pregnancy! And it kinda smooths everything out.
No to bottle warmers or sanitizers. If you want to sanitize it's really easy to boil some water in a pot and sanitize in there. Second the crockpot for warming! Mine didn't take a bottle for long, though, so I ended up almost never using bottles anyways lol. I still have BM in my freezer from him! It's only good for skin remedies at this point, but ya never know when you'll need it!
@liz4382 I guess it depends how hot your dishwasher gets. My old one could heat the water and had a "sanitize" button that if I wasn't careful definitely melted some thinner plastic but never a bottle. My new one doesn't have the function. For pumping and convience I bought the Medela santizing bags and used them each for more times than they said. I waited for a failure in the bag since it didn't seem like there was much difference between the 1st use and the 15th. If you have a microwave it defintately makes it easier. Or just boil a pot of water and sanitize.
Another note... I store my pumping accouterments in a large plastic bag in my refrigerator between sessions and did a major clean out once every day.
Clothing question: what do you guys prefer when it comes to shorts/pants--full panel, side panel, under belly, something else I don't even know about? I'm going to need to bite the bullet and go shopping sometime soon but I'm not really even sure where to start with the different fits. I'll def try some options but I figured some advice from pros would be helpful too
I only had full panel last pregnancy and hated them because I live in FL and my belly would get so hot and sweaty! I'm going to try the under belly this time.
I'm a FTM but one of our friends was a genius (I thought) because he just left a crockpot with water going all the time when his wife was working (she's a nurse, so some odd hours) and popped the milk in there to warm up when needed. So quick & easy!
That's how we did it at the daycare but be careful you don't forget about the bottle because it warms very quickly!
I prefer the underbelly pants big time! I was not comfortable in the full panel style. I do have one pair of khaki pants that are full panel, that I can wear, but the rest of mine are underbelly. It's really all about personal preference.
I had a bottle warmer with DS1 and never used it. I got him used to room temp bottles right away and it made everything so convenient when we were out and about. DS2&3 breastfed for a lot longer, so I think that's why it was harder for them to transition to cooler bottles. My sink gets pretty hot, so I just run hot water into a big coffee mug and drop the bottle in to warm it up a bit. As for the sanitizer, that's a big nope. I kept pump parts in a large ziplock bag between pumping sessions and cleaned the parts at night. I used the medela bags when I needed it done quickly, but if I had a while, I would put the parts in boiling water on the stove.
Does anyone know when they first felt baby. Also what it felt like? I've been having cramps on and off for the last two days but I don't think that's be feeling baby. I just really want to feel them. I'm worried because my symptoms have gone away and I don't look pregnant and I'm not feeling anything and I could only find the heartbeat with my doppler for a second the other day and I don't see my midwife for another week and I just want to feel baby. Is there any way to make myself feel baby?
@bcashaw it might feel like a small flutter but it can also feel like gas moving through your body (if that makes sense). It will probably be a very gentle feeling that you may not notice at first. Others may have different experiences though.
Hugs, @bcashaw! I don't think there's any way to make yourself feel baby, but most people don't feel it until around 20 weeks, so please don't let that worry you. Symptoms going away around the 2nd tri is normal, too. I know how you feel, though, sometimes it feels like pregnancy is just one long wait in between appointments!
Re: FTM Questions for STMs+ 5/9
I used Palmers Cocoa butter lotion on my stomach through my whole 1st pregnancy and a little while post partum and didn't get any stretch marks. I'm using it again this time and hoping for the same results!
ETA: I've heard stretch matks are genetic also but my mom got horrible stretch marks from me and she was very jealous that I ended up without any.
The only way I've found to keep full panel jeans up is to wear a cotton cami UNDER the full panel. The fabrics catching together gives a lot more friction than skin. Looks ridiculous when you take that top shirt off at the end of the day though.
~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
[spoiler]
No and No. I never warmed milk for Aidan. He drank it out of the fridge if that's what ended up happening although usually I'd try to remember to pull it out to de-chill.
I never seterilized jack crap. Hand washed with hot soapy water like the rest of my dishes.
For pump parts I used models steamer bags.
~EDD Nov 18, 2017 with my IUI success story~
[spoiler]
@jess0211 I breastfeed exclusively and pumped and my husband wanted a bottle warmer for when he had to feed DS a bottle. I don't think it was worth it though, when you can microwave water for a minute and then pop the bottle in the water.
Ive formula fed and breast fed, and had a bottle warmer both times. Do you need one? No, you can warm bottles easily with warm water in a coffee cup, but the warmer is convenient. The sooner you can get the baby adjusted to cold milk, the better!
The exception is yoga pants. I love my under belly yoga pants. I look forward to putting them on all day. They are super lose though and I'm always hiking them up lol
I like full panel because they're so supportive later in pregnancy! And it kinda smooths everything out.
No to bottle warmers or sanitizers. If you want to sanitize it's really easy to boil some water in a pot and sanitize in there. Second the crockpot for warming! Mine didn't take a bottle for long, though, so I ended up almost never using bottles anyways lol. I still have BM in my freezer from him! It's only good for skin remedies at this point, but ya never know when you'll need it!
Another note... I store my pumping accouterments in a large plastic bag in my refrigerator between sessions and did a major clean out once every day.
I had a bottle warmer with DS1 and never used it. I got him used to room temp bottles right away and it made everything so convenient when we were out and about. DS2&3 breastfed for a lot longer, so I think that's why it was harder for them to transition to cooler bottles. My sink gets pretty hot, so I just run hot water into a big coffee mug and drop the bottle in to warm it up a bit. As for the sanitizer, that's a big nope. I kept pump parts in a large ziplock bag between pumping sessions and cleaned the parts at night. I used the medela bags when I needed it done quickly, but if I had a while, I would put the parts in boiling water on the stove.
I just really want to feel them. I'm worried because my symptoms have gone away and I don't look pregnant and I'm not feeling anything and I could only find the heartbeat with my doppler for a second the other day and I don't see my midwife for another week and I just want to feel baby.
Is there any way to make myself feel baby?