Any tips or advice would be great!

Symptom Relief: Nausea, Sore back, headaches, etc

Any products for pregnancy and/ or newborn care

Bottles, carseats, strollers, cribs, etc.: What brands are best? What items do I need? What items are a waist of money?


Thanks!

Get the book what to expect when you are expecting. (they also make a book what to expect the first year) a boppy pillow, a bouncy seat and a baby swing. Nuk pacifiers lots of cloth diapers are good to use a burp cloths. And the newborn diapers with the belly button cut outs. I loved the papers line of diapers. Hope this helped some.

get the book what to expect when you are expecting. (they also make a book what to expect the first year) a boppy pillow, a bouncy seat and a baby swing. nuk pacifiers lots of cloth diapers are good to use a burp cloths. and the newborn diapers with the belly button cut outs. I loved the papers line of diapers. hope this helped some.

Thanks for the quick reply! The brand of diapers is called PAPERS or is the type of diaper made of paper?

Saltine crackers and sprite or 7-up for nausea.

Sorry, meant pampers

sorry, ment pampers

Thanks! You helped a lot!

And for us they had a wonderful thing called a "diaper genie" you put your disposable diaper into it, and it seals the smell.

Any tips or advice would be great!

Symptom Relief: Nausea, Sore back, headaches, etc

Any products for pregnancy and/ or newborn care

Bottles, carseats, strollers, cribs, etc.: What brands are best? What items do I need? What items are a waist of money?


Thanks!

The possible lists are endles... :) If you are planning to breastfeed, Breastflow is a good bottle or really any with a wide base on the nipple. If bottle feeding only, look for orthodonic nipples... some bottles are designed with the idea of baby taking in less air as well, can't hurt, might help. Best to just be sure nipple is always filled with milk and burp baby often.
Get a few books on infant care and use them as a guide... some have really helpful parts, but other parts are just plain scary and/or out of date. If it sounds like a good idea to you and something you would be comfortable giving a try, see how it works. There is no one way that works for all babies. Take advice from people whose children you really like! A couple of books I personally like are Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide by Penny Simkin and The Baby Book by Dr. Sears.
Carseats... look for a convertible one that will allow you to keep baby facing the rear as long as possible. Many currently in the US or UK only go up to about 30 pounds. (many even less)... If you can find one that has a higher weight limit, consider that one. It is well known that the longer the child can stay facing the rear the better off they are. Just because the current guide is that you can move the seat forward facing once the child is a year old and at least 20 pounds does not mean it is the safest position for them to be in (we're trying to change that! ). However, some seats are only rated to a certain weight for rear facing and will have to be turned forward. All the more reason to buy one that has the highest rear facing weight you can find so they can stay facing the rear as long as possible.
Diapers... in my newborn care classes, I always suggest starting with the store brand. They work fine for many and it will save you some money. You can always switch to a name brand if need be. Diapers are always a nice thing to ask for when someone wants to know what you need. I second the suggestion of a pack of cloth diapers if you are using disposable. Look for ones that are quilted or layered... some are about the thickness of a receiving blanket otherwise. Also, if not using them as actual diapers, go with the rectangular shape and not the diaper cut ones. They are virtually indestructable and you can use them later on the car... :)
Nausea... pregnancy pops (you can usually find them in maternity stores), or any sour candy on a stick (these work great in labor as well as some women will feel some nausea), sea sickness bands for accupressure, a little extra vitamin B6, ginger anything, fresh air, a little toast or crackers before you even get out of bed, keeping a little something in your stomach throughout the day.
Sore back... counter pressure works well, have partner provide steady pressure where it hurts, but off your back bone. Heat pack, warm bath, pelvic rocks/tilts... gently rock your lower pelvis forward like you are trying to flatten the small of your back, straddle and sit on a birth ball (exercise, yoga ball... you can buy them in Wal-Mart for about $13)... hold onto something for support (works great in labor as well), turn a straight back chair around and sit in it facing the back with legs straddled over the sides... it can help to put a pillow against the back to lean towards. This allows for a gentle stretch on your back, back is available for massage or counter pressure, and weight of baby and uterus are off your back. Also opens up the hips a bit which can take some pressure off. Sleep with a pillow between your knees, some women like a body pillow to tuck on all around. This can help with better alignment of your back and take some pressure off. See a chiropractor... they are great for pregnant women. Try a pregnancy yoga class.
Headaches... some women will get them because of the increased blood volume you have in your body during pregnancy. If severe, or you notice vision changes, let your doctor know. Tylenol/Paracetamol is safe in pregnancy for most women. A cool washcloth over your eyes or on the back of your neck may help... or sometimes a heat pack instead.

Just a few ideas that you may find helpful...

I've been telling other people this as well. Try babyzone.com and join one of the Due Date Clubs (if you have time and access to a computer regularly). A lot of questions get asked and answered throughout the day by other pregnant women and moms. I've been a part of it since Sept and I've found out so much more things that I didn't know and I already have an 8 year old. You learn different things because there are other pregnant women with different scenarios and that have already gone through what your asking. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Don't know if Doula mentioned it... but for any pain relief TYLENOL... Any kind... Tylenol PM, etc.

Check this out Crissy... maybe something like this would help... or not!. It's certainly different... :)

'First ever' Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital opens in Taiwan (and aims to reduce the stress of childbirth) | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1092834/First-Hello-Kitty-themed-maternity-hospital-opens-Taiwan-aims-reduce-stress-childbirth.html)

Don't know if Doula mentioned it....but for any pain relief TYLENOL... Any kind... Tylenol PM, etc.



j_9:

Is it really OK to take tylenol pm? Those are the tylenols that help you sleep right? I like taking them from time to time to sleep

I didn't think they were OK. I thought anything with sleeping aids wasn't good... like tylenol drowsy stuff. Could you please explain for us pregnant ladies. It would be helpful... haven't asked my doctor. Thanks :)

Any tips or advice would be great!

Symptom Relief: Nausea, Sore back, headaches, etc

Any products for pregnancy and/ or newborn care

Bottles, carseats, strollers, cribs, etc.: What brands are best? What items do I need? What items are a waist of money?


Thanks!

For morning sickness, suckers, gum, and fizzy drinks helped me a lot. Headaches, tylenol.


For pregnancy and newborn care
We used playtext bottle drop ins, we bought a convertible carseat that goes from 5lbs-80lbs. So it's an infant carseat, toddler seat, and booster seat all in one. They're usually over $100 but it's cheaper buying that way instead of buying the infant seat, then the toddler seat, then the booster. Stoller, it depends on your prefrences so test some of them before you buy. For the first three months we used a cradle my grandfather made. It's beautiful and we used it in our room. Once baby outgrew it, he when to his nursery and we bought a secondhand crib it's Laura Ashley brand I believe or something along those lines. We use Loves diapers. A lot of people don't like them, but we love them. They are the only ones that my little man doesn't leak through right away.

When you do your registry, don't forget to put baby proof items (babygates, those outlet blockers, etc). You may think baby won't be crawling or anything for a long time, but it does go by fast and before you know it, your rushing out to buy that stuff.

Waste of money: wipie warmers, changing table, diaper genie (for us it was a waste), hooded towels (baby prefers our bigger/thicker towels),

For you, get breast pads, breast cream, breast pump, plenty of heavy duty pads, make frozen meals so you don't have to cook after baby is born, and have your chapstick ready for when you go into labor.

I found that the Sams club diapers actually work better than pampers and huggies, and are about 30% cheaper. As far as a car seat, buy a convertible. I had an infant seat for my son, he outgrew the weight limit by 6 months and we had to go buy a convertible one anyway. Strollers: I have both a travel system and a light weight Chicco umbrella stroller. I only used the travel system until my son was old enough for the umbrella stroller, now I do not use my travel system it is too heavy and bulky. Two things I found to be the best 2 purchases ever: a picture projector with sound and a timer (this allows you to project pictures onto the ceiling at night, and play sounds like heartbeat to soothe your little one), and also a baby monitor with a mat that senses movement, allowing you peace of mind because an alarm will sound if your baby would stop breathing. I also loved my wipe warmer, I had a winter baby and I could not imagine wiping him with cold wipes.

Also get the bibs with the plastic backings. And while pregnant, get yourself a body pillow.

j_9:

is it really ok to take tylenol pm? those are the tylenols that help you sleep right? i like taking them from time to time to sleep

i didn't think they were ok. i thought anything with sleeping aids wasn't good...like tylenol drowsy stuff. could you please explain for us pregnant ladies. it would be helpful...haven't asked my doctor. thanks :)

Anything Tylenol is okay to take for aches and pains.

Wow, thanks everyone... what a wealth of information! Keep it coming!

Ginger root capsules are great for nausea.

OK everyone, this is serious. I think. I'm having a really hard time with accepting my pregnancy weight gain. Some days I feel really depressed about it and I don't want to go anywhere or be seen by anyone. I feel like a buffalo. I'm 5'1 and my best weight is 120, but because of birthcontrol I was 135 before I got pregnant. I just entered my second trimester and I'm 154. I feel like this way too much weight, but I'm not eating unhealthy. My Ob says that I am fine and she's not concerned about my weight gain. My mom says it's all water weight. But I still feel fat and ugly. What do I do? I keep praying I will loose weight and my hubby says that it's not normal and I have a problem. I've always been very weight conscious and try to control my wieght through diet and exercise. Before I got married I started birthcontrol and it made it hard for me to trim down once gaining. I got off it 9 months before getting pregnant and the last time we decided to get off it, it almost took a year for my body to return to normal and drop the weight. So, before I could drop it this time, I got pregnant, so I started heavier than I would like and now I just feel like it's crazy. I'm eating when I feel hungry because I don't want to starve myself or my baby. (4-5 times a day- sometimes it's just grapefruit and cereal or eggs and some flat bread) I exercise 3 days a week- 30minutes of cardio and then 15minutes of pushups and squats and I stretch before and after. How can I loose weight and not harm the baby? Is it normal to feel this way?

It is normal to feel that way... some women will even put off getting pregnant because they are concerned about the weight gain. You are making healthy food choices and getting some regular exercise... those will have a greater impact than the weight you gain. You've gained right around what would be expected by this time so you are right on track.

Focus on your good eating and exercising. If you wanted, maybe join an exercise class with other pregnant women, or a preganancy yoga class. That way you will be able to share concerns and ideas with other pregnant women and get to see the many shapes and sizes that come with pregnancy.

It is normal to feel that way....some women will even put off getting pregnant because they are concerned about the weight gain. You are making healthy food choices and getting some regular exercise.....those will have a greater impact than the weight you gain. You've gained right around what would be expected by this time so you are right on track.

Focus on your good eating and exercising. If you wanted, maybe join an exercise class with other pregnant women, or a preganancy yoga class. That way you will be able to share concerns and ideas with other pregnant women and get to see the many shapes and sizes that come with pregnancy.


That's a great idea. I really need to connect with more pregnant women. I know a few, but they are either larger women to begin with or really skinny. I feel so large compared to everyone else probably because I don't know anyone my size. It'd be great to see how other women look as they go along in this pregnancy process. I just started attending a new church, and at my old church, everyone was getting pregnant as I left and so far all of them are barely showing.

Thanks for the encoragement. I feel so much better. I was looking online and it said that you should gain between 3-6lbs during the first trimester and that really freaked me out! It's good to hear you say that I'm right on track. I trust you because you're a professional. I've had people in my family tell me that I shouldn't be gaining anything until the last trimester and that if I am, it's all my fault. I've also had one of my family members say, "I thought you were having a boy until I see how fat you've gotten." This is probably why I was feeling so bad.

I'm going to post my pregnany pic on my profile. You tell me if I look that bad.:p

Don't worry about the weight. I know it's hard not to. I started at 193 (at 5ft7, that was way too high for me and the biggest I had ever been) and ended at about 250. I ate healthy foods, only ate when I was hungry, but still gained a lot of weight. Initially, ever pound hurt me. But I threw out my scale in the second trimester and decided that I was going to just let it be.

However, breast feeding is the best weight loss tool I've ever found. I lost all of my pregnancy weight within the first seven months just by eating only when I'm hungry. I didn't restrict myself, I actually ate less healthy post pregnancy. Sixteen months later, I weigh in at 168. Still a little bigger than I'd like to be but the last thirteen pounds will come off now that I've taken up yoga (LOVE it).

So relax, throw your scale away, and it'll all melt off after you have the baby.

Don't worry about the weight. I know it's hard not to. I started off at 193 (at 5ft7, that was way too high for me and the biggest I had ever been) and ended at about 250. I ate healthy foods, only ate when I was hungry, but still gained a lot of weight. Initially, ever pound hurt me. But I threw out my scale in the second trimester and decided that I was going to just let it be.

However, breast feeding is the best weight loss tool I've ever found. I lost all of my pregnancy weight within the first seven months just by eating only when I'm hungry. I didn't restrict myself, I actually ate less healthy post pregnancy. Sixteen months later, I weigh in at 168. Still a little bigger than I'd like to be but the last thirteen pounds will come off now that I've taken up yoga (LOVE it).

So relax, throw your scale away, and it'll all melt off after you have the baby.

It is hard not to think about it. People say, "How far along are you", and I say 3 months and they look at my stomach and stretch their eyes." Haa haa It is rather funny if I wasn't so darn sensitive.

Thing is, I don't even own a scale, the only way I know how much I weigh is when I go to a doctor or a friend's house. You are so right about throwing it out, though cause if I did own one, I would get on it a zillion times a day. Hee Hee

I told the nurses not to tell me my weight because if I knew the numbers I would obsess.

And disregard any looks you get from people when they ask how far along you are. Every woman looks different at different stages in pregnancy. Google "pregnant belly pictures" and look at all the different types of bellies at different weeks. There are lots of galleries of pictures of women at each different week of pregnancy. It's comforting to see that each one looks different.

I told the nurses not to tell me my weight because if I knew the numbers I would obsess.

And disregard any looks you get from people when they ask how far along you are. Every woman looks different at different stages in pregnancy. Google "pregnant belly pictures" and look at all the different types of bellies at different weeks. There are lots of galleries of pictures of women at each different week of pregnancy. It's comforting to see that each one looks different.

Haa haa good idea regarding my visits to the doctors office.

Yeh, I go to those galleries once every couple of weeks. I wish people would post before pregnancy pictures too.

The ones I want to see are the after photos! I want to see other stretch-marked bellies to make me feel less out of place. Sometimes I feel like the only woman who lost all the weight but has to deal with all the crepe-y, sagging stomach skin.

** Shhh... I have a confession. One part of my lower belly is so scarred from stretch marks that I don't even have feeling there. I can pinch and twist the skin without even feeling it. Weird huh? Lol **

The ones I want to see are the after photos! I want to see other stretch-marked bellies to make me feel less out of place. Sometimes I feel like the only woman who lost all the weight but has to deal with all the crepe-y, sagging stomach skin.

** Shhh... I have a confession. One part of my lower belly is so scarred from stretch marks that I don't even have feeling there. I can pinch and twist the skin without even feeling it. Weird huh? lol **

See, this is the kind of stuff they don't show on TV and your friends never tell you. People say, awww, it's so wonderful! And, it's all worth it in the end. But they never tell you what the "end" is really like. I am so honest with people. I tell them, "Yeh, I poop all the time and it smells really bad. Also, whatever I eat, I can smell it when I pee." These are things people don't share, but I want my friends to see that it's not all fun and games and you really have to know what you're getting into. Most people see other pregnant women and say, "I wanna have a baby." They just really like the idea of it and don't realize all that goes on with the reality. My mom gave me the real deal growing up, so I was never anxious to have children until it was time.

I have two teenage sisters and I am a big proponent of open and honest conversations. They've gotten to see how amazing having a child can be but also get to see the stuff like the time he projectile vomited repeatedly and without warning in Baby Gap, drenching me from head to toe.

Even with the saggy boobs and belly, the fact that I've smelled vaguely of milk for the past 16 months of breastfeeding, I have only had a few real nights of sleep in the last two years, and I never get a chance to take a leisurely shower, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. He is worth every stretchmark. But most people sugar coat that. I figure, the bad stuff makes the love I have for him all the more important and valuable.

ok everyone, this is serious. I think. I'm having a really hard time with accepting my pregnancy weight gain. Some days I feel really depressed about it and I don't wanna go anywhere or be seen by anyone. I feel like a buffalo. I'm 5'1 and my best weight is 120, but because of birthcontrol I was 135 before I got pregnant. I just entered my second trimester and I'm 154. I feel like this way too much weight, but I'm not eating unhealthy. My Ob says that I am fine and she's not concerned about my weight gain. My mom says it's all water weight. But I still feel fat and ugly. What do I do? I keep praying I will loose weight and my hubby says that it's not normal and I have a problem. I've always been very weight conscious and try to control my wieght through diet and excercise. Before I got married I started birthcontrol and it made it hard for me to trim down once gaining. I got off of it 9 months before getting pregnant and the last time we decided to get off of it, it almost took a year for my body to return to normal and drop the weight. So, before I could drop it this time, I got pregnant, so I started off heavier than I would like and now I just feel like it's crazy. I'm eating when I feel hungry because I don't want to starve myself or my baby. (4-5 times a day- sometimes it's just grapefruit and cereal or eggs and some flat bread) I excercise 3 days a week- 30minutes of cardio and then 15minutes of pushups and squats and I stretch before and after. How can I loose weight and not harm the baby? Is it normal to feel this way?


Do not worry about your weight. Your body is doing an amazing thing right now and your baby and body do need the nourishment. We spend the majority of our lives counting calories, watching our carb intake, constantly exercising, trying so hard to stay in our skinny jeans that it is okay for you go through weight gain sometimes, ESPECIALLY during pregnancy (thats a given right?). So just embrace what a wonderful thing your body is doing (even though it doesn't feel too great right now) and what a gift you get at the end of it all. So what if you gain 15lbs or 50lbs through the entire pregnancy. Either way you can and WILL lose it. Your pregnant right now and everyone should understand that means weight gain and if they don't, well screw them. With my first I gained over 50lbs. I'm 5'6 and started at about 135ish prepregnancy. I had an athletic figure from being a swimmer so I was pretty happy with my body. In my third trimester I gained a ton of weight, I had horrible break outs (I've always had clear skin so this was new to me), I felt fat and disgusting. I didn't even want to go anywhere or do anything. I felt depressed. Now that I look back at it I realize I was just wasting time and energy getting all upset about my weight gain. I had my son and lost a little over 25lbs in the delivery room (I had preeclampsia and a TON of water retention) right away. Then within the next few weeks I lost another 15lbs and I wasn't even trying. When my son was 4 months, I had only a little less then 10lbs to lose to be back at prepregnancy weight, but thenI found out I was pregnant again.
So don't even stress about your weight gain. It's not worth worrying or getting upset about because when you see your baby you'll know it was all worth it.

See, this is the kind of stuff they don't show on TV and your friends never tell you. People say, awww, it's so wonderful! And, it's all worth it in the end. But they never tell you what the "end" is really like. I am so honest with people. I tell them, "Yeh, I poop all the time and it smells really bad. Also, whatever I eat, I can smell it when I pee." These are things people don't share, but I want my friends to see that it's not all fun and games and you really have to know what you're getting into. Most people see other pregnant women and say, "I wanna have a baby." They just really like the idea of it and don't realize all that goes on with the reality. My mom gave me the real deal growing up, so I was never anxious to have children until it was time.

I was so shocked when I had my son that my belly did not go down. I expected to walk out of the hospital able to fit in non-maternity clothes, but that didn't happen. The day after my son was born I looked at my belly and I asked the doctor if there was another one in there. They laughed at me and explained how it takes time for it all to go back to normal. There was so much nobody told me about pregnancy.

Wow, yeah, everyone has such great comments! Keep it comin' folks cause I want to know what I'm dealing with. I'm compiling a list of things to pray against. Hee Hee

However, breast feeding is the best weight loss tool I've ever found.

I hope this is the case for me. My boobs were already very large. Now they are even bigger and I am only 6 months.

CrissyDi... here is a pic of me before and during at 4 1/2 months. I thought I was big at 4 1/2 months... and a month and a half later I thought I was going to be huge... but it seems to have evened out.

Maybe you'll even out in the next months :)

The adage, nine months on/nine months off comes to mind... :) For some women it happens much sooner, for some it takes a bit longer, but the point is, it will happen.

True, for some it will seem to melt off after baby and for others they will have to really work at it, but that is how it is whether pregnant or not.

i hope this is the case for me. my boobs were already very large. now they are even bigger and i am only 6 months.


You're so cute! Seriously, adorable.

I was a 36DD when I got pregnant. At the end of my pregnancy I was spilling out of a 38F even though it was too big around. Now at 16 months post pregnancy, I'm down to a full 34DD. So I actually went down a little after the pregnancy. So the tatas will get even more huge than you could imagine (when my milk came in I looked like Dolly Parton), but they will go down again. I promise. Lol

You're so cute! Seriously, adorable.

I was a 36DD when I got pregnant. At the end of my pregnancy I was spilling out of a 38F even though it was too big around. Now at 16 months post pregnancy, I'm down to a full 34DD. So I actually went down a little after the pregnancy. So the tatas will get even more huge than you could imagine (when my milk came in I looked like Dolly Parton), but they will go down again. I promise. lol

Thanks for the compliment... I don't feel cute :eek:

I hope my tatas get smaller... I've always hated having big ones :eek:

Southern, your 4 1/2 mth pic is how I've been looking since 2 months! But you are right, I have seemed to slow down.

How far along are you?

It really has evened out for me.

Don't forget that taking walks is key.

It will help with your weight and your delivery :)

Southern-Yeh, I have been doing the treadmill 3 times a week. I want to go more, but I'm still spontaneously throwing up if I move around too much and haven't eaten enough food. I'm still trying to balance everything.

How did you attach the photos? When I click insert a pic on my thingie, it asks for a url and it won't let me cut and paste.

I'm 13 weeks. Your boobs do not looks big! I started at a 34 DD and I don't know where I am now, but they are huge! My boobs are more pregnant than my belly! Hee Hee

Right now I am posting a quick answer and underneath there is GO ADVANCED.

Click that and then click MANAGE ATTATCHMENTS. Then it will take you to the browse option so you can download a pic from your computer.

I felt big a 13 weeks. It just seems to keep evening out :)

The first pic is me before pregnancy.
The second is at 12 weeks.

Oh... you are fine.

Most of the weight gain in the beginning is bloating... that should subside :)

Honestly in that pic... you have jeans and a shirt on which is probably making your belly look thicker.

My pic was my bare belly.

I don't think they are comparable... don't stress about it. You are pregnant. Enjoy it!

Do you know how many times I've been hit on since I've been pregnant?

There is something that men find appealing in a pregnant woman.

ok everyone, this is serious. I think. I'm having a really hard time with accepting my pregnancy weight gain. Some days I feel really depressed about it and I don't wanna go anywhere or be seen by anyone. I feel like a buffalo. I'm 5'1 and my best weight is 120, but because of birthcontrol I was 135 before I got pregnant. I just entered my second trimester and I'm 154. I feel like this way too much weight, but I'm not eating unhealthy. My Ob says that I am fine and she's not concerned about my weight gain. My mom says it's all water weight. But I still feel fat and ugly.

you are pregnant and gorgeous. We are our own worst critics. You are creating the most amazing child inside you. Cut yourself some slack. My cousin always gains sooner than others, my wife gained later than many... glad you are still working out... focusing on your core strength (back, abs, hips) is solid planning.

I know others have already gone through the laundry list of good/bad things... just piling on from out experience...

the best thing we ever bought was a good, quality double breast pump.

I'm a guy talking about a breast pump. Does that mean I need to turn in my "man card" or I get an upgrade? I'm confused... =)

anyway... it was the best dollar for dollar money we spent. First, it kept my wife from experiencing mastitis (painful inflammation of the breast tissue when ducts get "clogged", often because of excess milk production), it enabled her to live her life... meaning she could relieve the pressure when she needed to nurse but the little rascal wasn't interested... and it gave us a supply of breast milk in the freezer to feed him when he needed fed and she wasn't there.

there's a ton of info out there about how good it is to breast feed. If you are considering this, id at least look at getting a good pump. We bought ours from a local midwife clinic, in used but sterile condition (theyd sterilized all the lines and bottles for us)... still, we probably spent 200 washington's to get it, but then resold it again after use (and again sterilization) and recouped 125 of the cost.

this also let me feed the baby late at night when my betrothed needed rest but the little "leaky bag" needed fed. I know... "leaky bag" sounds ugly... its not... they are.. all kinds of holes to leak, drip, and otherwise wet stuff. Cute, lovable, leaky bags o' goo.

what else?.

get a baby bag /backpack that fits you well.

the eddie bauer leather "baby" backpack looked nice... but it sucked for utility. The weight wasn't balanced well at all. Couldn't keep it slung over one shoulder, and was too uncomfy over both. We ended up using other bags (not necessarily designated for "baby use") that could be loaded up well and were able to be worn with decent weight distribution.

I agree with cutting costs by using sams club diapers, but for us, this wasn't reasonable until after little man was on solids. He was on breast milk alone for over a year, and the sams club diapers didn't seem to be able to handle the mess as well... so we ran with pampers diapers until he was on more solids and it wasn't as liquidy...

another wonderful thing we bought was an inflatable bathtub... looked like a duck. Pic to follow...

15811

this was great. We bathed him outside on the back deck in the summer son... was a blast. Not something you NEED... but something we loved to have... think it was from target.

uhm... good to plan on and have a supply for baby sickness. A good temporal thermometer was great to have. A supply of baby meds for fever is good to have on stock (who wants to leave the house at 2AM when the little one is running a hot fever?) and ready... likewise a good medicine syringe or three are good to have in stock.

for pain, in addition to what has been mentioned, there are pressure points in the feet that can help you... if your man is willing to work his thumbs into your feet, especially from the heel toward the middle at the sides, for just a short time before bed, you might find you sleep better.

at one point, late in the pregnancy, we would up buying a recliner... we didn't have one, and it seemed like that was the best way for my love to take pressure off her body and get some real rest. It might not have been a planned buy, but that thing was great for her in the last 1.5 months. A big body pillow helped also.

cant find the book we used... as we passed it on to other new mothers... but a book like
Amazon.com: Best Baby Products, 9th Ed. (Best Baby Products): Sandra J. Gordon, Editors of Consumer Reports: Books (http://www.amazon.com/Best-Baby-Products-9th-Ed/dp/1933524073)
was useful... gave ratings about what to get, what to skip on, and what brands seemed to be rated well.

one of the best buys we made had nothing to do with being a "baby item"... the digital camcorder was also worth every penny. They grow SO fast in the first two years. Its just alarming. Likewise with a digital camera. Both are indispensable for getting those early moments on record.

hmm... ill try to rattle the brain a little more... I used to have a three page word document id give to friends concerning what to get and what to skip... but I can't seem to find it.

anyway... loved your posted pics. You look wonderful. Congrads!

If your looking to connect with other expecting moms try CafeMom: Advice, Support, and Fun for Moms and Moms-To-Be (http://www.cafemom.com)
I love this website. They have groups for everything from first time moms, to support groups for breastfeeding, to how to make handmade gifts, to local groups (there may be a group for your town). There will be a group for the month your due so you can actually talk with other mothers who are going through the same things you are during the same time. I'm due in Feb with number two so I'm part of Due Feb 2009 group.

Thanks, Becca, just joined.

Kp, nice baby photo- soooooo cute. Hee Hee!
I love how you are a dad who is so involved and so informed. My hubby just started reading books about a month ago, he is so cute. At first he thought I was being overdramatic about my symptoms, but after a few spontaneous vomiting sessions, he finally caught on. He is always serving me, so it's nice to have someone who will get up and make me breakfast every morning.

Digital camcorder, what a great idea. I was pondering whether I needed to get one of those. I love editing video (I have a BS in Broadcast Journalism), so that just confirmed to me that I need to get one. Then I can get a video editing program for my computer and make my own little videos to give to our family.

He is always serving me, so it's nice to have someone who will get up and make me breakfast every morning.

my wife was pregnant once before, long before I came on the scene. In her first pregnancy apparently frozen hamburger pizza was the end all be all... she craved it all the time.

when she was pregnant with my son, it was a little different. First... shed love one thing, but only for about 6-8 weeks. I cooked seasoned basmati rice with some tossed in chicken and steamed broccoli and it was a hit... over and over and over... until it was suddenly banished from the house for forever... or until she said otherwise...

then it was peanut butter and honey on toasted bread... was her slick fix for about, again, 1-2 mo... then banished.

=)

at one point, nearing the end, she said "im getting tired of being tired and you are getting tired of kissing my arse"...

I said nothing of course.

;)

AND I could only cook at night, as strong smells sent her to the porcelain much too fast.

I remember one night she craved thai... this from the woman who NEVER wants thai food (and I could LIVE on it)... of course her order was dead on right, but my curry chicken was just "off" enough to have it, and me, immediately banished from the house. Damned if I didn't eat the whole thing on the back deck, in 30 degree temps.

ah, the good old days.

never did get to make her frozen hamburger pizza tho'... guess she burned that wick to the bottom with the first one.

Kp, Haa haa that is so funny! Let me tell you, my husband still can't figure me out. I want something so bad and I will eat it periodically throughout the day. Next day, I don't want it. So, hubby thinks I'm weird and then he is happy because he gets to eat everything I no longer want. I'm 3 months and so far, haven't consistenly wanted any one thing. Today, I hit a "I want pancakes" craving. So, I will eat them tomorrow for breakfast and then we will see how it goes from there. (This might have been increased because of all the IHOP commercials that keep coming on TV and haunting me.) I'm almost scared to think of what I might get hooked on. Haa haa There was about 3 days straight that I kept eating kielbosa sausage on hot dog buns with mustard, ketchup, and chow chow for lunch and dinner.

People keep offering me all kinds of food especially cake and icecream and they assume that I should want it because I'm pregnant. But I like to eat all natural frozen fruit popsicles for dessert and I eat grapefruits and oranges throughout the day to polish off my meals. I've never been big on eating sweets a lot. But it's funny because if you ask me if I want chocolate, I will ask you if you have a banana instead. Haa haa

I never understood the craving thing. I didn't really get weird food cravings. But I did eat a lot of garlic and avocados.

Crissy, also, the BEST line of pregnant and baby books EVAR is The Girlfriends Guide... they're amazing. Just search for The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy.

Ok, everyone, I go for my second OB appt on Friday and I will get to see what they think of my weight gain since my last visit. Eeeek! Wish me luck!

Good luck... :) Hope you have an uneventful visit and come away feeling great!

Hey Doula, is this normal? At night, when I'm trying to fall asleep, I keep feeling like I'm losing my breath or my heart stops beating or something and I have to gasp for air and it scares me and my heart starts racing.

Always wise to let your doctor or midwife be aware of any change that causes you concern, but it sounds like palpitations which can be fairly common in pregnancy because of more blood in your system and hormone changes.

They are not fun and really cause you to stop and take notice. Feeling them when you are lying down is more common because you are not moving about and busy. Caffeine can make it worse, so cut back if that may be an issue for you. Try propping yourself up a bit instead of lying flat and see if that makes any difference as well, but do run it by your doctor or midwife, especially if it happens frequently or lasts for more than several seconds.

Doula, OB says my breathing problem is normal and to use more pillows. She said it didn't concern her since it only happened when I was lying down at night. I guess I just have to figure out my sleeping because she said I need to sleep on my side, which I knew. So, it's hard to sleep on your side and 3-4 pillows at a time. I'm just going to have to play around and see what works. Hopefully I won't stop breathing in my sleep.

Body pillows! They're awesome. You can get them for pretty cheap at Target now too.

I had three pillows for various places plus a giant curvy body pillow. Loved that thing. I even took it to the hospital with me when I was on bedrest.

Yes, body pillows are great!

You could prop yourself up with the pillows so that you are at a slight slant. If you happen to wake up on your back at night, try not to worry. You will most likely move about in your sleep so you aren't likely to be in that position too long to be of concern. It's more of a concern if you were to be lying on a firm surface. A few bed pillows, or body pillows, may help you stay put on your side more.

Good to hear she isn't concerned about it... :)

Why do I feel like I'm the only one gaining weight during pregnancy? I go to the Motherhood maternity store and talk to women there and they're all like, "Yeh, I'm due in a couple weeks and I've only gained 7 lbs." And the other is a stick with a belly bump. HELLLLLLLO! This is really crazy! My OB told me that I have 25lbs to gain for my whole pregnancy and I've already gained at least 20, 10 of which was in a 3 week period. I'm throwing up and still gaining. Everyone else I talk to is like, "Yeh, I lost 15lbs because of throwing up." Why do I get to be so lucky? Am I the odd ball here? I thought you were supposed to gain weight in pregnancy, not loose weight and definitely not gain 20lbs or less. Where are all the real women? Geez!

I only weighed 135 before I got pregnant and I had large breasts, so they weighed at least 10lbs. I'm 5'2. Why am I stuck at the lower end of the weight gain scale? That's so much pressure. I'm only in my 4th month, so that means, I have 5 months to try to only gain 5lbs! Are they crazy!? Here I am, pregnant, and I have to watch my diet (That's what they're telling me.) while others pig out and gain little weight. I thought this was finally going to be the time in my life when I could eat a bowl of icecream and not feel bad about myself.

I'm barely keeping all my meals down and I'm only eating to keep my blood sugar up so I won't get sick. And yet, the OB tells me to eat less! Can you believe that!? Helloooooo, help please!

I'm praying to God that I have twins or that I'm further along because there has to be some reason for my weight gain and the fact that I'm measuring 5 weeks ahead. And it's not because I'm eating pizza and icecream. I wish I was!

Why do I feel like I'm the only one gaining weight during pregnancy? I go to the Motherhood maternity store and talk to women there and they're all like, "Yeh, I'm due in a couple weeks and I've only gained 7 lbs." And the other is a stick with a belly bump. HELLLLLLLO! This is really crazy! My OB told me that I have 25lbs to gain for my whole pregnancy and I've already gained at least 20, 10 of which was in a 3 week period. I'm throwing up and still gaining. Everyone else I talk to is like, "Yeh, I lost 15lbs because of throwing up." Why do I get to be so lucky? Am I the odd ball here? I thought you were supposed to gain weight in pregnancy, not loose weight and definitely not gain 20lbs or less. Where are all the real women? Geez!

I only weighed 135 before I got pregnant and I had large breasts, so they weighed at least 10lbs. I'm 5'2. Why am I stuck at the lower end of the weight gain scale? That's so much pressure. I'm only in my 4th month, so that means, I have 5 months to try to only gain 5lbs! Are they crazy!?! Here I am, pregnant, and I have to watch my diet (That's what they're telling me.) while others pig out and gain little weight. I thought this was finally going to be the time in my life when I could eat a bowl of icecream and not feel bad about myself.

I'm barely keeping all my meals down and I'm only eating to keep my blood sugar up so I won't get sick. And yet, the OB tells me to eat less! Can you believe that!?! Helloooooo, help please!

I'm praying to God that I have twins or that I'm further along because there has to be some reason for my weight gain and the fact that I'm measuring 5 weeks ahead. And it's not because I'm eating pizza and icecream. I wish I was!

Don't pig out. It'll just make you feel worse. Just eat healthy and if you have a sweets craving, have a scoop of ice cream instead of a bowl. You're only supposed to consume like 200-300 calories (Doula?) more while pregnant than normal. And they say not to waste those extra calories on empty fats. You can actually pig out more while nursing than while pregnant. Initially while nursing exclusively you get an extra 400 some odd calories rather than the 200-300 while pregnant.

Even with eating healthy and puking my brains out I gained 47 pounds while pregnant. So I think to a certain extent your body is going to gain whatever it's going to gain. Don't stress too much over weight. But don't use pregnancy as a time to throw out healthy eating either. Just use common sense and moderation. If you're craving sweets, eat a couple chocolate chips or have one scoop of ice cream after dinner. It's all about moderation and healthy eating.

If your doctor or midwife is concerned, they will do another growth scan to check various possibilities, such as an abundance of amniotic fluid. It may be you are just prone to gaining the weight more easily. It may level off during the remainder of your pregnancy.
Eat healthy foods, watch how they are prepared, get some regular exercise, and watch portion sizes.

While gaining around 25 pounds may be an ideal rough guide, it is not carved in stone and is unrealistic to expect all women will gain that amount. Part of the weight gain is under your control, but you can't fight the genetics aspect.

Women used to gain very little thinking it would help avoid extra weight that needed to be lost after baby... then the pendulum swung the other way and women thought if they gained a large amount they would have healthy rolly polly babies, only to find out they still had a 7 pound baby but now had 60 pounds to lose.

As you have seen, pregnancy comes in all shapes and sizes.

If your doctor or midwife is concerned, they will do another growth scan to check various possibilities, such as an abundance of amniotic fluid. It may be you are just prone to gaining the weight more easily. It may level off during the remainder of your pregnancy.
Eat healthy foods, watch how they are prepared, get some regular exercise, and watch portion sizes.

While gaining around 25 pounds may be an ideal rough guide, it is not carved in stone and is unrealistic to expect all women will gain that amount. Part of the weight gain is under your control, but you can't fight the genetics aspect.

Women used to gain very little thinking it would help avoid extra weight that needed to be lost after baby....then the pendulum swung the other way and women thought if they gained a large amount they would have healthy rolly polly babies, only to find out they still had a 7 pound baby but now had 60 pounds to lose.

As you have seen, pregnancy comes in all shapes and sizes.

Have to spread the reputation points, but I agree completely. (As usual :D )

My grandmother literally starved herself during pregnancy and still gained about 35 pounds during her only pregnancy. (It was the early 60s and doctors were actually prescribing diet pills to women to keep their weight gain low. Crazy, huh?) My mom gained about 45 pounds with all three of her pregnancies. And her pregnancies were each very different. She had morning sickness with one of them and ended up on bed rest with the final one. But in each she gained about the same amount of weight.

And then I gained 47 pounds with hyperemesis and eating much more healthy than I had been. So I figure that our bodies are largely pre-programmed to gain a certain amount. The important thing is to take care of your body during pregnancy. You eat healthy, exercise (yoga is AMAZING) and your body will gain whatever weight is needed. Then if you continue eating healthy (with an occasional indulgence) post-pregnancy, the weight will come off relatively easily.

Weight (during pregnancy and otherwise) is just a number and is silly to obsess over. Health is something else entirely and should be the focus. So as long as you're eating sensibly and not using pregnancy as an excuse to eat french fries and ice cream at every meal, the number on the scale shouldn't matter. If your ob is too much of a stickler for the number on the scale and you know you're eating healthy, you might consider switching obs while it's still early.

Just don't fret doll. You're nurturing a newly formed life. If you gain a few more pounds than the guideline, it's not the end of the world. Consider all the things that your body is doing right now. It's miraculous.

I know you have been given a ton of great advice.I only wanted to mention that there is some controversy about certain plastic baby bottles leaching chemicals when heated.
Here is a link to give you more information.

Campaigns - The Center for Health, Environment & Justice (http://www.chej.org/BPA_Website.htm)

Thanks everyone! I am eating healthy and can't eat junk food because it won't stay in anyway. (Comes out both ways.) It makes the nausea worse. Anywhoo, all that info helps a ton. I do believe my body just might need the extra fluids and storage for the baby while others might not- that makes a lot of sense. And yes, if my doctor makes me feel bad when I know I'm eating right, I will go elsewhere. = ) Whooo, load off the shoulders!

My staples: (daily)

fresh fruit
cottage cheese
whole grain bread
eggs
cheese
water
crackers
cooked veggies (all kinds)
fish
shrimp
turkey sausage
sweet potatoes
subway
spring mix salad (with dried fruit and nuts, etc- the works)

occasionally (once a week or less)
chicken (cooked various ways)
beef
goat
lamb
Icee from the gas station
smoothies
caribbean rice and peas
baked potatoes

very seldom: (Once or twice a month)
sweets
pizza
burgers
chicken sandwich
soda
chinese food

Regarding the shrimp,seafood.Their are certain restrictions on fish for pregnant women due to the potential problems with high mercury content in fish.I would look that up as well.
Best of luck!

Fish to avoid while pregnant:

Fish Women Should Avoid | Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/safefishlist?gclid=CIGJnIKg0pgCFRFMagodJG9E0g)

Although I haven't heard tuna is bad in small amounts.

Yeh, u know I looked that all up as soon as I found out that I was pregnant. I looked at the different fish that I could eat and the amount per week as well as other seafood items and such.

Thanks

For morning sickness I found Ginger tea and cuppa soups a god send. I can't even look at them now though! The Ginger stops nausea and the soups keep something on your stomach between meals. X

For morning sickness I found Ginger tea and cuppa soups a god send. I can't even look at them now though! The Ginger stops nausea and the soups keep something on your stomach between meals.
I read that most women gain between 20 - 40lb and that bigger and taller women have bigger babies. My midwife made a chart specially designed around my height and weight when I booked my pregnancy (8 weeks) but my baby is way off the chart at the minute! My bump is so big people keep saying it has to be twins. At about 12 weeks until 20 I felt really fat but since then you can see it is all bump. I would put pictures on here but I can't work out how to either.

For morning sickness I found Ginger tea and cuppa soups a god send. I can't even look at them now though! The Ginger stops nausea and the soups keep something on your stomach between meals.
I read that most women gain between 20 - 40lb and that bigger and taller women have bigger babies. My midwife made a chart specially designed around my height and weight when I booked my pregnancy (8 weeks) but my baby is way off the chart at the minute! My bump is so big people keep saying it has to be twins. At about 12 weeks til 20 I felt really fat but since then you can see it is all bump. I would put pictures on here but I can't work out how to either.

Click on Go Advanced at the bottom of the reply box to post a pic. Thanks for the advice.

OK, everyone, going on 17 weeks and this week, I've been feeling some occasional pressure down in the lower abdomen and in between my legs feels sore like I've been riding a horse or something. And then every once in a while, I feel a sharp pain or something in my croch, some of these feelings are similar to when my period would start. In fact, sometimes it feels like it is going to start but I don't see any fluid or blood.

Is all that normal? How do I know if it's Braxton Hicks? I read they aren't painful, but what I'm feeling is uncomfortbale, I really feel it when I'm rolling over in the bed.

Buy a Moby wrap... It is the easiest way to keep you hands free and your baby happy.

ok, everyone, going on 17 weeks and this week, I've been feeling some occasional pressure down in the lower abdomen and in between my legs feels sore like I've been riding a horse or something. And then every once in a while, I feel a sharp pain or something in my croch, some of these feelings are similar to when my period would start. In fact, sometimes it feels like it is going to start but I don't see any fluid or blood.

Is all that normal? How do I know if it's Braxton Hicks? I read they aren't painful, but what I'm feeling is uncomfortbale, I really feel it when I'm rolling over in the bed.

Feeling a fair amount of pressure and discomfort can be normal, but if it continues, or gets worse, let give your midwife a heads up. Try shifting positions and see if it helps.

Braxton Hicks tend to be more of a tightening in your abdomen... can feel sort of like menstrual cramps for some women, but your stomach will get very hard and tight feeling. These will come and go. They can be anywhere from not noticing them at all to down right painful, but most often they are pretty mild. The key to watch for is whether you are getting quite a few in an hours time or if they continue and/or get a pattern to them.

Ok, Doula. I got to OB tomorrow, so I will let everyone know what they say. I talked to the on call Dr last night and she said I need to stay on bed rest until I come in and drink plenty of water. She said it might be from dehydration since I've been vomiting so much. They are also looking at what else they can do about that since I'm not getting any better with the Phenergan.

Being a bit dehydrated can cause your uterus to contract more frequently.
They likely will try an alternative. I know Phenergan is a popular choice to help with vomiting, but it can also cause it to continue for some people.
I know some women have found relief with accupuncture as an alternative. Do you tend to get sick at certain times... such as after meals, certain foods, taking a prenatal, etc. or is there no rhymn or reason to it?

All of the above! I just never know. I could go 2 days with no vomiting and then suddenly, here is comes for days in a row. Sometimes once a day and sometimes multiple times a day. And all those things will do it. I tried doing B6, but that came up too and I haven't been able to take my prenatals in a week.

Thanks for explaining the dehydration info to me.

We are now trying a combination of Raglan and Zofran and so far that seems to be working. Sometimes, I still feel a little drowsy and foggy with it, but that's sure better than feeling sick all day!

Ahhh, the joys of pregnancy... :) Glad to hear you are able to keep things down. It's worth some drowsiness. You may find that subsides a bit once you are on it for awhile.

At some point they will possibly wean you off and see how you are doing; whether you need to continue with the meds or if you are fine to go without.

Yeh. And the great thing is that the fetal movement has picked up the last couple of days also. It's rather weird how the baby bounces all around. One minute on the bottom, then suddenly on the side and at the bottom again in a matter of minutes. It's like the tazmanian devil is in my belly. Hee Hee

What can I do to stay regular and prevent constipation? I eat Kashi cereal, veggies, and Activia yogurt daily and it's not keeping the bowels flowing all of a sudden. (maybe due to the Zofran I've been taking for last couple of weeks.)

Also, I stopped the Reglan recently and just use the Zofran, so that might have changed things also. Is there something I should eat or should I just get back on the Reglan (which was taken before meals)?

The Zofran could be adding to it. Constipation, now and then, is pretty common in pregnancy to begin with. Try the usual remedies: increasing your fiber intake... whole grains, fruits, veggies, increasing your fluid intake... when you increase fiber you need to increase fluids as well, and get some exercise each day.

If those types of things aren't enough, check with your doctor about any sort of medication or supplement he/she may suggest. Check with them too about stopping or starting any of the medications you were using. Obviously they should only be taken if necessary.

Hey everyone! I've been feeling so much better with the Zofran. My question for now is about fetal movement. Is it normal at 22 weeks, to feel lots of movement some days and little movement other days?

Yes... at this stage you will notice more or less depending on baby's location, position, and sleep cycle at any given time. Baby's level of activity will be more of something to keep notice of later on in the pregnancy.

It's a great feeling, isn't it?! Enjoy... :)

K, thanks, cause my OB just said that my placenta is in the back, so I shouldn't be feeling movement this early. (Even though I've been telling them Im feeling movement since 12 weeks.) Apparently they don't believe me. She said that my placenta is between the baby and my skin so I wouldn't feel movement as easily or as quickly as other women. I understand that, but if I'm feeling movement everyday (and in the same spots... mainly the lower part of my stomach right above my crotch) then I think that'd be a lot different than gas. Hello!

Reading back over my old posts. If I am pregnant again, I am going to print this out, lots of great info!