Had to start this because I totally lost it on Saturday. I'm not much of a crier when not pregnant. My son and husband were out of town all week on vacation without me (saving all my PTO for maternity leave) and I was already feeling down. My mission was to get ONE pair of maternity pants and ONE bathing suit for my upcoming beach trip. Online shopping had so far failed me so against my better judgement I was forced to shop in-store.
Well.
After 4.5 hours in 90+ degree ultra humid weather, sweating my large ass off and being aggravated with all of humanity and crappy fitting rooms, I had been to 14 stores at four different shopping centers (mall, plaza, and outlets) and I just lost it. In the middle of the outlet mall, pouring sweat, I started sobbing. I called my DH and said, " DOESN'T ANYONE WANT MY MONEY???" Most of the stores don't carry a single maternity item (despite my checking online listings to see that they supposedly DID have maternity in that exact location) and if they did have a section, it was often like one rack of jumbled garbage. After the fifth store in a row that didn't even have a thing despite false advertising, and attempting to shop in a Motherhood outlet that was the size of my closet, I had had enough.
Then I ended up back home, online shopping for four freaking more hours (with a grand total of two purchases including maybe 7 pairs of pants and one bathing suit to try). I'd already scoured the internet prior to this without luck. I only want to pay so much because I'm 2/3 the way through my final pregnancy. I want full-panel pants because the others are uncomfortable or fall off. I want PANTS, not capris, not ankle pants. Apparently this wish list is impossible. I don't care if they are all black. I don't even care too much about fabric, overall style, etc. I just need a damn pair of pants to wear to work since I only have two that fit (one of which I don't like). As for bathing suit, well, that's just been difficult. I might have to live with a one-piece.
Anyway, TLDR I hate maternity clothes shopping. If you made it through that, you should have a cookie.
Met: September 2005Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
@anewadventure Oh gosh, what a nightmare. That's pretty much the exact reason I refuse to shop in stores, I despise rummaging through clothing racks and get I easily overwhelmed, especially when I can't find anything I need. So sorry you went through all that, I don't blame you for breaking down.
I have about 2-3 pairs of pants for work that I actually like, but I got them on Poshmark so I have no idea where they were purchased originally. I've had a few strikeouts but mostly pretty good luck buying used stuff for cheap on PM... the descriptions tend to be much more honest than retail websites, which is helpful when your body is going haywire. Good luck to you in your search, and I hope your upcoming beach vacation is wonderful and relaxing.
@anewadventure I about did the same at Old Navy, which had a maternity section until a week and a half ago, while wearing a dress that the seam had somehow come undone leaving me with a giant hole in the side.
ETA: I know a lot of you have this same dress from Target, my advice: check yo dress before you wreck yoself
@anewadventure How frustrating! I am plus size so I have zero luck finding maternity clothing in store. It's almost just as impossible online.
DH isn't a huge fan of our animals, this is nothing new. Well my favorite of the cats tried to get on his lap for attention (VERY rare) and he pushed her down! I cried because he was mean to her.
Me 29 I Him 26 Married 4/22/16
TTC 9/2015 **TW** BFP 2/1/16 I MC 3/21/16 (11w) TTCAL 6/15/16 BFP 3/23/2017 Team pink! Quinn Leigh EDD December 1, 2017
@anewadventure ugh sorry!!!!! if it makes you feel better, the only time I've cried during pregnancy was a similar experience I had in Kohl's while trying to find their maternity section, which apparently didn't exist because I circled the store twice and stormed out in frustration. I really hate in-store shopping and have been getting pretty lucky online. Some things go back, but otherwise I've been rocking stuff from Old Navy, Amazon, and Zulily.
Me: 33 DH: 34 Married: Oct 2015 TTC #1: Sept 2016 BFP: 10/19/16 ~ blighted ovum ~ D&C 11/23/16 BFP: 3/24/17 DD1 born 12/2/17 TTC #2: July 2018 BFP: 8/26/18 DD2 born 5/16/19
Speaking of maternity clothes shopping, has anyone tried the new Isabel maternity line from Target? I just ordered some pants online last night (on sale for $25 pair!)- can't wait to see if they work.
@hellothere47 I bought a couple of their knit dresses (3/4 sleeves and maybe just past the knee) for fall and some tshirts. I'm totally happy with them so far!
I am thinking about braving our target to check out this Isabel dress:
Because I desperately need something other than yoga pants and Old Navy tees for my baby shower next month, and I figure it will take me a month to find something acceptable. But my attempts to find in-store XL/plus-size friendly maternity clothes thus far have only led to tears and stories like @anewadventure's above, so I am less than hopeful.
My pregnant self is crying because looking at daycares SUCKS and I don't want to even have to do it. So far I've looked at 3, plus another tomorrow. All I want to do is quit my job and stay with my baby, but that's a lot easier said than done. Ugh
31 years young from Seattle(ish) 5 years married FTM and PGAL EDD is 12/23/17 -- It's a BOY! ---
@tamaraaa Luckily I haven't had that experience yet. But I'm sure it's coming. The ones I've been to have been pretty decent. But I've also done a lot of research before even setting foot in them
31 years young from Seattle(ish) 5 years married FTM and PGAL EDD is 12/23/17 -- It's a BOY! ---
@hellothere47 I bought a basic tops from that line the other day and love them! So soft and kind of thick like they will wear well. Feel like much better quality than anything I've ever bought at motherhood!
@casace i have been to ross, thanks! i can't wear jeans to work, or leggings, so it's a bit of a challenge. the results of my online shopping spree should arrive today so i have my fingers and toes crossed.
Met: September 2005Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
@anewadventure keeping my fingers crossed for you! I know how difficult it is to find maternity clothes that actually fit well. I'm having a hell of a time finding pants for work. Sigh.
Someone shared a photographer's FB preview of a baby meeting her dad (military) for the first time (aka not at birth, if that wasn't clear). The feeeeels.
i'm not sure whether to update here or the maternity clothes thread, but GUYS. GUYS!! some of the stuff i ordered is actually going to WORK! my DH and i were actually in shock. i have literally ordered thousands of dollars of maternity clothes between my two pregnancies. each order is a trial of patience. you try on 12 items and keep 1. you have to generally mail the rest back, heaven forbid you want to return something in store (or shop for clothes in person).
well. i am now the happy owner of TWO more pairs of pants (one needs to be hemmed, so hopefully my mom or someone with actual life skills will help me out) and a bathing suit for my trip! HIGH FIVES TO EVERYONE.
Met: September 2005Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
I just put a cart together on the pinkblush maternity site. Ladies for those of us with shoe issues while pregnant they just discounted a ton of their shoes and they also have compression socks if you are already experiencing swelling. If you're in a warm climate all those cute sandals are now on sale.
That reminds me, I wanted to order something from PinkBlush--can anyone tell me how they run? In dresses, I am kind of between a medium and a large depending on the company, so I am wondering whether to size up. I was thinking since I may be bigger this time than last time, maybe I should order a large. Any thoughts?
Married May 2014 DD born August 2016 Baby #2 due December 2017
I finished the book Firefly Lane last night. Omg DONT DO IT UNLESS YOU WANT TO HAVE A COMPLETE MENTAL BREAKDOWN. It is so effing sad, I was straight up sobbing uncontrollably for a good 20 minutes. My eyes are swollen today. Seriously. Beware. The saddest part is that I've read this book before. What am I doing to myself?!
So this isn't me crying but SO... he's been bingewatching GOT, so he's finishing an episode last night when I get home and its somewhere close to the beginning of season six. So all of a sudden he's fast forwarding through a part and I'm like what is happening here. He turns to me with red, wet eyes and says its a baby part with that evil bastard Ramsey Bolton. Apparently he's been fast forwarding through every horrible baby/kid part in the series. Then we both have red wet eyes cause of the feels.
I am crying because after a very positive 24 week u/s and appt, I made myself go to Target and buy a onesie for the baby. I kept finding reasons to put it off because I think I didn't want to jinx the baby. So I found a onesie I love, bought it, took it to the car and then sat and cried. Baby steps.
@stella_700 I saw that episode when it originally aired and my son was only a few months old and i bawled my eyes out. I had to pick him up and snuggle with him forever after that.
I had a solid happy/relieved cry after having a functional planning meeting with my VP over upcoming projects and my maternity leave. I brought my plan of items to close out, document & cross-train, etc, and we basically mapped out all of my major responsibilities for Sept and Oct. I have a clear path (and to-do list) to get from here to baby, at least professionally.
Aaaaand... it made me realize exactly how close 1 Dec really is. Cue the water works.
I don't normally watch terrible teenagery shows but the last season of Switched at Birth is finally on Netflix and I've now got a headache from my very full evening of muffled sobbing slash binge watching on the couch.
@Marley629 ...of all places? motherhood maternity. seems obvious, right? i've had zero, zilch luck there in the past and had yet to order something this time around. i also tried on stuff in-store on meltdown day to no avail. the continued obsession with the ultra-skinny-leg style is not good for me.
HTH. of all places, i had the best luck last time around (in terms of AFFORDABLE pants) at kohls. however they recently discontinued their entire maternity line and replaced it with three new lines, none of which i like - and they're three times as expensive for no reason at all.
if you don't mind demi-panel pants, gap has been good in the past for work pants. once i am past a certain size i only wear full-panel and they don't really have much of those.
Met: September 2005Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
So I've now cried twice in the last 16 hours (couldn't find this thread for the life of me yesterday, even though it was apparently right at the top of page 2). I'll share them with a "don't try this at work or without waterproof mascara" warning...
@djd0404 omg that article! I might have to save that one to re read when I am stressing out about what life will be like come December (aka all the time)! Thank you for posting it!
Me 29 I Him 26 Married 4/22/16
TTC 9/2015 **TW** BFP 2/1/16 I MC 3/21/16 (11w) TTCAL 6/15/16 BFP 3/23/2017 Team pink! Quinn Leigh EDD December 1, 2017
I cried at first aid training yesterday when we were watching a video of actors portraying a woman having a seizure. I felt so scared for Darla! Thanks, hormones.
"A Father's First Spring" by the Avett Brothers came on my Pandora today and I cried so hard I now have a migraine. It's basically about how the guy never really lived until his daughter was born.
I don't get all mommy-daughter sentimental about things but for some reason thinking about my husband being emotional over our baby just about kills me!
Yesterday I just woke up crabby, in a terrible mood, for "no good reason." Hormones, feeling yucky and like I'm not holding up my end. Etc.
A part of it is how hot it is here- 109 degrees today- and it's sucking the life out of me. Potty training my toddler has been making me nuts. That, plus just general anxiety. A friend with a long history of infertility who's about 10 weeks ahead of me went into premature labor and delivered her beautiful boy (who is doing great!) at 32 weeks.
All I could think about was how freaked out she must be- and how she'd elected to only transfer one blastocyst during IVF to avoid complications she'd seen with twins, including this exact scenario. (I'm expecting twins, because I just threw caution to the wind, apparently! )
I finally just acknowledged that I needed give myself permission to have a good old fashioned, ugly cry. Seriously, it was like releasing a steam valve. I felt so much better afterward!
Re: Why my pregnant self is crying 08-15
Well.
After 4.5 hours in 90+ degree ultra humid weather, sweating my large ass off and being aggravated with all of humanity and crappy fitting rooms, I had been to 14 stores at four different shopping centers (mall, plaza, and outlets) and I just lost it. In the middle of the outlet mall, pouring sweat, I started sobbing. I called my DH and said, " DOESN'T ANYONE WANT MY MONEY???" Most of the stores don't carry a single maternity item (despite my checking online listings to see that they supposedly DID have maternity in that exact location) and if they did have a section, it was often like one rack of jumbled garbage. After the fifth store in a row that didn't even have a thing despite false advertising, and attempting to shop in a Motherhood outlet that was the size of my closet, I had had enough.
Then I ended up back home, online shopping for four freaking more hours (with a grand total of two purchases including maybe 7 pairs of pants and one bathing suit to try). I'd already scoured the internet prior to this without luck. I only want to pay so much because I'm 2/3 the way through my final pregnancy. I want full-panel pants because the others are uncomfortable or fall off. I want PANTS, not capris, not ankle pants. Apparently this wish list is impossible. I don't care if they are all black. I don't even care too much about fabric, overall style, etc. I just need a damn pair of pants to wear to work since I only have two that fit (one of which I don't like). As for bathing suit, well, that's just been difficult. I might have to live with a one-piece.
Anyway, TLDR I hate maternity clothes shopping. If you made it through that, you should have a cookie.
Met: September 2005 Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
I have about 2-3 pairs of pants for work that I actually like, but I got them on Poshmark so I have no idea where they were purchased originally. I've had a few strikeouts but mostly pretty good luck buying used stuff for cheap on PM... the descriptions tend to be much more honest than retail websites, which is helpful when your body is going haywire. Good luck to you in your search, and I hope your upcoming beach vacation is wonderful and relaxing.
TTC #1 since 12/2015
BFP 4/4/17, EDD 12/4/17
ETA: I know a lot of you have this same dress from Target, my advice: check yo dress before you wreck yoself
DH isn't a huge fan of our animals, this is nothing new. Well my favorite of the cats tried to get on his lap for attention (VERY rare) and he pushed her down! I cried because he was mean to her.
Married 4/22/16
**TW**
BFP 2/1/16 I MC 3/21/16 (11w)
TTCAL 6/15/16
BFP 3/23/2017 Team pink! Quinn Leigh EDD December 1, 2017
Married: Oct 2015
TTC #1: Sept 2016
BFP: 10/19/16 ~ blighted ovum ~ D&C 11/23/16
BFP: 3/24/17
TTC #2: July 2018
BFP: 8/26/18
Because I desperately need something other than yoga pants and Old Navy tees for my baby shower next month, and I figure it will take me a month to find something acceptable. But my attempts to find in-store XL/plus-size friendly maternity clothes thus far have only led to tears and stories like @anewadventure's above, so I am less than hopeful.
from Seattle(ish)
5 years married
FTM and PGAL
EDD is 12/23/17
-- It's a BOY! ---
from Seattle(ish)
5 years married
FTM and PGAL
EDD is 12/23/17
-- It's a BOY! ---
Met: September 2005 Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
DD - 12/28/17
TTC #2 3/2019
BFP 5/2019 || MC - D&C 5/2019
BFP 2/2020 || EDD 10/10/2020
well. i am now the happy owner of TWO more pairs of pants (one needs to be hemmed, so hopefully my mom or someone with actual life skills will help me out) and a bathing suit for my trip! HIGH FIVES TO EVERYONE.
Met: September 2005 Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
Congrats! That's awesome news! TWO more pairs of pants is like winning the maternity shopping lottery.
I just put a cart together on the pinkblush maternity site. Ladies for those of us with shoe issues while pregnant they just discounted a ton of their shoes and they also have compression socks if you are already experiencing swelling. If you're in a warm climate all those cute sandals are now on sale.
Married May 2014
DD born August 2016
Baby #2 due December 2017
The saddest part is that I've read this book before. What am I doing to myself?!
Aaaaand... it made me realize exactly how close 1 Dec really is. Cue the water works.
@anewadventure where did you find these pants? I've been on the hunt for maternity work pants for the fall
DX Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Factor V Leiden Mutation, Secondary Infertility
MFI (SA #1Count 11mill, Motility: 18%, Morphology: 1%)
AMH .328 | FSH 13.2
so, the pair i liked best is a thicker twill, slight bootcut, with front pockets. the petite was way too short and the regular is way too long (i need a 30"ish inseam). they were on sale, and still are, but it looks like the size and color selection has been crushed in the week since i ordered. they have a similar listing that is "stretch twill" and i'm not sure what the difference is. they also have a separate petite listing if you want the shorter inseam. https://www.motherhood.com/secret-fit-belly-twill-boot-cut-maternity-pants/006-93828-000-001.html?cgid=clothing-pants&dwvar_006-93828-000-001_color=006-93828-01#sz=24&start=1
the other pair is more of the formal work pants material, no front pockets. they have a flare style and a straight leg style, i only ordered the straight leg. it looks pretty frumpy on the model but i like it a lot in person. a slight bootcut would be better but it seems you get plain straight or way-too-much-flare as your options. this pant also comes in separate petite vs. regular listings - i went with petite on these because the inseam is 29.5" . they are a little shorter than i want but not highwaters and i'd rather not need to hem these too. https://www.motherhood.com/petite-secret-fit-belly-bi-stretch-suiting-straight-leg-maternity-pants/006-93457-000-001.html?cgid=clothing-pants&dwvar_006-93457-000-001_color=006-93457-07#sz=24&start=1
HTH. of all places, i had the best luck last time around (in terms of AFFORDABLE pants) at kohls. however they recently discontinued their entire maternity line and replaced it with three new lines, none of which i like - and they're three times as expensive for no reason at all.
if you don't mind demi-panel pants, gap has been good in the past for work pants. once i am past a certain size i only wear full-panel and they don't really have much of those.
Met: September 2005 Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
Ugly cried over a Facebook post I saw yesterday about a Pampers commercial specifically for preemies, *TW* which apparently got them in some trouble because it was too upsetting for parents of angel babies (which I can honestly say I understand). *end TW*... https://shareably.co/pampers-changes-latest-a/?utm_content=inf_10_3000_2&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=TSE&utm_source=TSE1&tse_id=INF_de737c00882411e7a7253d7eefa2109b
And first thing this morning, the tears were brought on by an article that flips the dreaded "just you wait..." warnings (often from total strangers) that pretty much all pregnant women have to deal with, and celebrates the joys that a newborn brings... https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-studenroth-gerson/they-shouldve-warned-me_b_6471948.html
Someone please tell my hormones to calm the eff down, I've become a puddle.
TTC #1 since 12/2015
BFP 4/4/17, EDD 12/4/17
Married 4/22/16
**TW**
BFP 2/1/16 I MC 3/21/16 (11w)
TTCAL 6/15/16
BFP 3/23/2017 Team pink! Quinn Leigh EDD December 1, 2017
I don't get all mommy-daughter sentimental about things but for some reason thinking about my husband being emotional over our baby just about kills me!
A part of it is how hot it is here- 109 degrees today- and it's sucking the life out of me. Potty training my toddler has been making me nuts. That, plus just general anxiety. A friend with a long history of infertility who's about 10 weeks ahead of me went into premature labor and delivered her beautiful boy (who is doing great!) at 32 weeks.
All I could think about was how freaked out she must be- and how she'd elected to only transfer one blastocyst during IVF to avoid complications she'd seen with twins, including this exact scenario. (I'm expecting twins, because I just threw caution to the wind, apparently!
I finally just acknowledged that I needed give myself permission to have a good old fashioned, ugly cry. Seriously, it was like releasing a steam valve. I felt so much better afterward!