@kristinl492 we are in that same boat, but my DH works from home 100% (and has one hell of a messy office). We are looking at new homes now, but the market is ridiculous. I’m not sure what we are going to do if we don’t find one before baby gets here. But I’m with you, I think a crib will just have to go in the office and then baby will nap in a pnp somewhere in the house while DH works.
Yupp, gotta make it work. They’re small, they don’t need much space 😂
I'm late to the game here, but on the room thing - my oldest was exactly 2 and still in a crib when the youngest came. I also didn't want to buy a new crib, so DD2 was in a PNP in our room for the first 6 months (just like we did for DD1), and then we did sleep-training and she just slept in the PNP in my office for the next 4 months or so.
A couple months before DD1 turned 3, we got her a twin bed (and put it in the same spot her crib had been), moved the crib to the other side of the room, and moved DD2 into the room to sleep in the crib. So DD2 slept in the PNP until she was 10 months, which isn't ideal, but she never complained...
I honestly would have kept DD1 in the crib even longer if I hadn't wanted to avoid buying another crib, it's sooo much better when they're stuck in the crib! We'll do the same system for the new baby, but I guess at the end I might have to give up my office since putting 3 of them in the same room might be a little much. Unless... bunk beds?
@Pascal86 I’ve been debating what to do if DS isn’t ready to be done with the crib by the time new baby needs it. I can’t believe I didn’t even think about the P&P 🤦🏼♀️. Baby will be sleeping in it with the bassinet in the beginning but I totally forgot that it’s an option past that 😂 Baby brain, I guess
@kristinl492 yeah I felt bad sometimes because it didn’t look super comfy but I think it was totally fine and then I didn’t have to buy another crib so I was happy!
@kristinl492 it took me way longer than it should've to think of the PNP as an option too. Duh!
People who have used PNPs/plan to use one for an extended period of time, are you planning to buy an additional mattress for it or just use the thin one it comes with? I was thinking to buy something similar to this one, but I don't know if it's necessary, not recommended, etc. I need to do some more research on it.
@Pascal86 If it’s all they know, though, it’s the comfiest bed ever 😂.
@stlbuckeye132 I’ve only ever used the thin mattress it comes with. As DS got older (over a year old), I would fold up a throw blanket for a little extra padding and put it under the fitted sheet. He rarely has to sleep in it now though, just if he’s at a grandparents house for a nap or overnight. I’ve looked into those mattresses before but like you, I don’t know what the safety situation is on those.
Just the thin one it came with, I was so paranoid about safety stuff. They’re so light to start with it really doesn’t matter - if you use it beyond 6 months or so you might consider getting a thicker one, but otherwise it just seems like extra stuff. I’d just get a few fitted sheets for the pnp mattress and call it good.
@stlbuckeye132 we got a mattress to use even with trips and stuff. I can't imagine sleeping on that hard pad it comes with. That said, I know lots of people who never used one and their kids slept just fine.
The boys are 22 monnths apart and I didn't want to buy another crib. So we had DS2 in the PNP for quite a while until we bought DS1 a big boy bunk bed for his 3rd birthday. Since they were so close in age we knew they'd share a room. We ended up giving the boys the master bedroom so they could have plenty of space since it doubles as a playroom. I hate having toys all over the house! We took the second largest br which we remodeled, new hardwood floors, new walk in closet. This baby will stay in the nursery. It's a tiny room but big enough for a crib/single bed, the changing table (which will just be a pad ontop of the dresser) and the rocking recliner. We figure whether it's a girl or boy it makes sense for baby to have its own room since there is a larger age gap (4.5 years between #2 and #3).
I kinda want to find out the sex so I can decorate the nursery again!
Have you told your kid(s) yet - how did they react? We told them yesterday. They reacted all over the place from denial to unhappiness to excitement over the idea of a bunk bed with a slide Kids.
Any questions/concerns? I have an anterior placenta this time, I think its the first time since Ive never been told otherwise in the past and it might be why I havent been able to feel this one much at all. I felt both my daughters around this time I remember so even at my last scan seeing the baby wiggling around had no impact on my feeling him. Does anyone else who has had this in the past know when I can feel more consistent movement?
GTKY: Curious, how has this pregnancy been different from your other(s) so far - symptoms, excitement, feelings, etc? Overall all my pregnancies are the same I feel. Mild and just some exaggerated feelings of triedness and hunger and moodiness. Also tons of pee. The only difference this time is that anterior placenta which is making it harder to feel baby and thus make me remember Im pregnant. Im also way more exhausted overall but it might be a combo of my age and the fact I have 3 other kids this time around.
@enchantindragon I haven't had one but someone in my local mom group just asked this the other day and I remember seeing most folks saying they felt flutters between 18-24 weeks and IF they felt kicks, they felt them closer to 30 weeks. Many said they got at home dopplers because it stressed them out to feel the baby move so infrequently.
@enchantindragon I had an anterior placenta the first time and probably felt her start moving around 15 or 16 weeks. And I felt her move like crazy from then until the end of the pregnancy. The main difference I noticed between that pregnancy and the next with posterior placenta, was that I saw more defined points sticking out of my belly once I could see things from the outside.
I’m fairly thin and I’ve heard that can make it much easier to feel the movements - so maybe that’s why, but I felt like other than feeling the one with posterior placenta earlier, they were pretty similar.
@stlbuckeye132 We just used the mattress that came with the PNP, but I did have a sort of quilted sheet on it most of the time. My mom used the PNP for naps at her house for a long time, and she bought one of those mattresses (different brand). If it's not super smooshy/fluffy anywhere, and it fits nice and tight against the sides, I wouldn't be worried about it. I'm honestly more sketched out by the napper/bassinet attachments, especially after the RNP recall. We have the kind with the thing that raises the whole mattress, but some of their newborn attachments look like they go against the general recommendations for flat, non-cushy sleeping surfaces. I haven't seen them in person, though.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I'm aware that this is super vain, but does the STM+ belly size even out at some point? I was looking at pics on my phone the other night (actually to try and find one from DD's NT scan in 2017 to compare the profile of this one, just for fun), and saw my random bump pics from that pregnancy... I'm 14 weeks now and easily the size I was when I was 20 weeks with my daughter. Do we just keep growing and growing at this rate? Will I reach term and literally topple over from the belly size, or will it slow down a little? Also, I know it has almost all to do with genetics, but are you more likely to get stretch marks with subsequent pregnancies? I feel like I narrowly escaped them with my last, but with the rate that my belly is growing I'm concerned. Again, totally vain but it's been on my mind.
It’s really nice to know that we already have 95% of what we’re going to need for baby, so I’m taking the opportunity to see what products worked/didn’t work for us last time. I’d like to upgrade our swing for sure. The motor was almost burnt out from DS. Ideally to something a bit less bulky. Any suggestions?
@meanjellybean with DD2 the bump grew a bit earlier, but did even out. The main difference was near the end, the bump was just a little lower than first time around, but not too bad. But don’t worry, you shouldn’t be bigger than last time the whole nine months! Your belly is just pre-stretched a bit, so it’s behaving a bit differently.
I haven’t gotten many stretch marks either time, but the belly was definitely different post-partum, and I’m not looking forward to what a third does to it. My belly skin was so much more crepe-papery when it got bunched up at all, although that has improved over time. I’m hoping to do a ton of post-partum ab work too, to reduce DR and any other stuff as much as possible.
@kristinl492 we got a rockaroo with DD2, since our other swing was huge. It was cheaper than the mamaroo but doesn’t have as many features. It was very slim and compact and rocks back and forth
@blaf322 I’ve been looking into the mamaroo, seems like it’s a love/hate kind of item. All the reviews on Amazon were either 5 star or 1 star. It’s the most appealing space-wise though!
@NinnyJean how did you like it? I don’t feel like I’ll need all the extra features of the mamaroo, so that may be a good compromise!
@kristinl492 it really is! That’s why we didn’t get it for DD... though, I actually think she’d have liked it better than her swing bc she liked her bouncy seat so much
@meanjellybean I think I got equal amounts of stretch marks both times. If you’re predisposed to them, though, I think that fast growth also makes them more likely so... possibly? Since growth seems to happen faster with subsequent pregnancies.
I do think that if you’re someone who didn’t show much the first time, you *might* get bigger. Especially if you’re not in as good of shape the second time around. Part of how big you get, but obviously not all, is how close your muscles keep everything to your body, working against gravity basically. Mine are loose and in poor shape so they just let it all stick right out! The second time around, even if you’re pretty fit, things have still been stretched out and can loosen up more easily. I think it’s all part of why we tend to show quicker.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
@kristinl492 We were able to borrow a Mamaroo to try it out and my husband thought it was the be all end all, so he bought one used. He swears by it, he raves about it to anyone who will listen. My daughter did love it, she spent a lot of time in it, but I don't know if she loved it any more than she would have a regular swing.
@mrsdrez Such a good idea! I don’t think I know anyone who has one 🤔. I think I’m going to hold off until baby is here and see what he is like and if it’ll be a good fit for us!
Is anyone else planning on sending their older kid(s) off to daycare/babysitter/grandparents/whatever as you normally would while on maternity leave? I'm trying to decide what I want to do with DD. I know for sure I'm going to send her to daycare at least part-time while I'm off work. I think it'll be good for her to somewhat stay in that routine and see her friends, and I also know it will be helpful for me to have some days where it's just me and baby instead of me, baby, and toddler. Currently debating on whether to send her two days/week or three... just curious what others' plans are!
@stlbuckeye132 ABSOLUTELY yes. DD, have fun at school.... this is mommy's time to rest and recover.... or go get a glass of wine with friends once we're out and about. Love her, but she's going to school, full time, just like always lol Unless you need the money the 2 days vs 3 days will save you, I'd send her as many as possible. Call me heartless, but that's what I'd do.
@stlbuckeye132 I’m conflicted on this one - both kids will start daycare again in September for sure. But we pay an insane amount for daycare, so not sure it makes sense to send them in August when I’m going to be home. Also, normally my parents watch the kids a couple days a week, and my ILs will be in town as well. So I might plan on just recruiting help from them in my first few weeks PP and skipping daycare for the month. And the second month I’ll get some time to myself when the kids start daycare again. And the third month... well, I’ll probably be back at work.
@blaf322 lol not heartless! If I was able, I'd love to send her full-time because I know how hard it was for me in those early weeks and months with her before! It's just not the best financial decision for us to keep her full-time while I'm off. I am leaning towards 3 days though. Two days almost doesn't even seem worth it!
@Pascal86 I feel you on the paying an insane amount for daycare. It's truly horrifying. If we had family around, I'd probably try to do the same thing to save some money!
@stlbuckeye132 Definitely on the daycare here too! Baby is due just around when school starts up again and daycare opens up again (we do an in home). I feel like he will have much better days there with his friends learning things rather than being at home with very little stimulation and a baby crying. I think he will be much happier in his routine!
@stlbuckeye132 I think I’ve been so focused on getting to spend the time with DS before he’s not my only child any more that I didn’t even think of that. I know I’ll need some toddler free time to relax now that you mention it! DS is babysat at our house by both grandmothers, so no daycare to send him to. Im gonna have to schedule some days to send him off to be with them both before baby is born and after. I have a feeling they’ll want me to, they’re both used to seeing him 2x a week.
@stlbuckeye132 I'm definitely keeping the routine when MH isn't at home. I don't work FT though, and our "daycare" is grandma. I also get a lot of say in how/when I work, and I work partly from home (probably mostly from home and at far reduced hours after baby 3 gets here). I would reconsider if it was full-time paid childcare. When our second was born, our first was in preschool 3 mornings a week, and she continued that routine just like usual. I wouldn't have gotten any tuition break for keeping her home, but it was good for her to go do her normal thing and to have her playtime with her friends.
Our oldest is in school, so once her school year starts back up she's obviously going. DD2 will be going to grandma's house the same 2 or 2-1/2 days a week that she's doing now. MH will probably take some time off work right away, but our state gives paid leave that he likes to use later on, maybe around the holidays. When he's home, I'll keep DD2 home also, but when he's working, she'll do her normal schedule. It's good for her and good for me.
2/13 Blighted ovum, D&C -- 6/13 MC -- 8/14 DD born -- 3/17 MC -- 9/18 DD2 born Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
Anyone else who has a toddler feeling totally beat up at the end of every weekend? Usually Sunday nights, but since we had a long weekend it’s tonight. Being climbed on, kneed, elbowed, etc in my belly and boobs for three days straight takes its toll lol. Plus all of the carrying, my hips and lower back are just shot and it makes me feel so weak, when before I got pregnant I felt pretty strong even when I had to lug my almost 2 year old around.
When I had DD2, I kept DD1 home with me my whole maternity leave besides one day a week she went with MIL. I loved getting the extra time with her but she had been being watched my family at that point. Now they’re in daycare/preschool so I suspect we’ll still send DD1 a few days a week to preschool. It’s up in the air if I’m going back to work or not after this one, I’m hoping not to, so if that’s the case I’ll keep DD2 home since she wouldn’t need to go anymore
@meanjellybean Yesss. I cannot lay down without my son wanting to sit on my stomach in some way. And climb on me. And if I sit on the couch, he climbs up on my lap, down off my lap, up on my lap... Thankfully, he’s really started loving “wrestling” with DH, so a lot of his energy gets focused on him instead of me now.
@meanjellybean I was there very recently. It’s the worst. I had to have a serious convo with DH about taking on more to help bc I was just totally worn out. Mine was more of a mental load... but the physical, obviously, played a big role. Having him doing more to help (even small things like him being the one to get her ready for bed before I go in to read books/put her down) has almost completely solved the issue.
@meanjellybean omg the climbing all over is getting old! And my tailbone really starts to hurt if I sit on the floor with her too long and that was never an issue pre-pregnancy for me.
Have you told your kid(s) yet - how did they react? We told them yesterday. They reacted all over the place from denial to unhappiness to excitement over the idea of a bunk bed with a slide Kids.
Any questions/concerns? I have an anterior placenta this time, I think its the first time since Ive never been told otherwise in the past and it might be why I havent been able to feel this one much at all. I felt both my daughters around this time I remember so even at my last scan seeing the baby wiggling around had no impact on my feeling him. Does anyone else who has had this in the past know when I can feel more consistent movement?
GTKY: Curious, how has this pregnancy been different from your other(s) so far - symptoms, excitement, feelings, etc? Overall all my pregnancies are the same I feel. Mild and just some exaggerated feelings of triedness and hunger and moodiness. Also tons of pee. The only difference this time is that anterior placenta which is making it harder to feel baby and thus make me remember Im pregnant. Im also way more exhausted overall but it might be a combo of my age and the fact I have 3 other kids this time around.
I had an anterior placenta with my first. I felt movement early and often initially. As I got larger, I still felt movement but just not the same intensity I had felt in a pregnancy without an anterior placenta.
Re: January STM+ check-in
A couple months before DD1 turned 3, we got her a twin bed (and put it in the same spot her crib had been), moved the crib to the other side of the room, and moved DD2 into the room to sleep in the crib. So DD2 slept in the PNP until she was 10 months, which isn't ideal, but she never complained...
I honestly would have kept DD1 in the crib even longer if I hadn't wanted to avoid buying another crib, it's sooo much better when they're stuck in the crib! We'll do the same system for the new baby, but I guess at the end I might have to give up my office since putting 3 of them in the same room might be a little much. Unless... bunk beds?
People who have used PNPs/plan to use one for an extended period of time, are you planning to buy an additional mattress for it or just use the thin one it comes with? I was thinking to buy something similar to this one, but I don't know if it's necessary, not recommended, etc. I need to do some more research on it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBGLST7?colid=3MG17AO2AFN3S&coliid=I1D6A6K29Y2CGH&ref=br_ADD_TO_CART_title_link
I kinda want to find out the sex so I can decorate the nursery again!
How old is/are your other kid(s)? 9,6, and 4
Have you told your kid(s) yet - how did they react? We told them yesterday. They reacted all over the place from denial to unhappiness to excitement over the idea of a bunk bed with a slide
Any questions/concerns? I have an anterior placenta this time, I think its the first time since Ive never been told otherwise in the past and it might be why I havent been able to feel this one much at all. I felt both my daughters around this time I remember so even at my last scan seeing the baby wiggling around had no impact on my feeling him. Does anyone else who has had this in the past know when I can feel more consistent movement?
GTKY: Curious, how has this pregnancy been different from your other(s) so far - symptoms, excitement, feelings, etc? Overall all my pregnancies are the same I feel. Mild and just some exaggerated feelings of triedness and hunger and moodiness. Also tons of pee. The only difference this time is that anterior placenta which is making it harder to feel baby and thus make me remember Im pregnant. Im also way more exhausted overall but it might be a combo of my age and the fact I have 3 other kids this time around.
I’m fairly thin and I’ve heard that can make it much easier to feel the movements - so maybe that’s why, but I felt like other than feeling the one with posterior placenta earlier, they were pretty similar.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I haven’t gotten many stretch marks either time, but the belly was definitely different post-partum, and I’m not looking forward to what a third does to it. My belly skin was so much more crepe-papery when it got bunched up at all, although that has improved over time. I’m hoping to do a ton of post-partum ab work too, to reduce DR and any other stuff as much as possible.
@NinnyJean how did you like it? I don’t feel like I’ll need all the extra features of the mamaroo, so that may be a good compromise!
I do think that if you’re someone who didn’t show much the first time, you *might* get bigger. Especially if you’re not in as good of shape the second time around. Part of how big you get, but obviously not all, is how close your muscles keep everything to your body, working against gravity basically. Mine are loose and in poor shape so they just let it all stick right out! The second time around, even if you’re pretty fit, things have still been stretched out and can loosen up more easily. I think it’s all part of why we tend to show quicker.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
Unless you need the money the 2 days vs 3 days will save you, I'd send her as many as possible. Call me heartless, but that's what I'd do.
@Pascal86 I feel you on the paying an insane amount for daycare. It's truly horrifying. If we had family around, I'd probably try to do the same thing to save some money!
Definitely on the daycare here too! Baby is due just around when school starts up again and daycare opens up again (we do an in home). I feel like he will have much better days there with his friends learning things rather than being at home with very little stimulation and a baby crying. I think he will be much happier in his routine!
Our oldest is in school, so once her school year starts back up she's obviously going. DD2 will be going to grandma's house the same 2 or 2-1/2 days a week that she's doing now. MH will probably take some time off work right away, but our state gives paid leave that he likes to use later on, maybe around the holidays. When he's home, I'll keep DD2 home also, but when he's working, she'll do her normal schedule. It's good for her and good for me.
Expecting again -- EDD 7/27/20
I hope you get some relief soon ❤️