November Pregnancy Thread [Archive] - CookingLight.com Community

Grizzly

11-02-2006, 12:37 PM

Zippy thank you so much for starting us off this month. I kept trying to get the thread started yesterday but was juggling too many things and just never got it completed!

It doesn't really matter, but mine's a surprise as well! I actually started to freak out a bit last night about how much I feel like I need to get accomplished before this bebe arrives and with the upcoming holidays, I quickly felt overwhelmed. Just trying not to be so anxious.

Question for everyone - what are you going to have your baby sleep in during the first 4-6 months? DH and I intended to use a crib from the beginning, but we know we will be moving within the first 4-6 months of this little's one life and are thinking about options other than cribs initially. Any experience/thoughts?

Between cribs and strollers, I think I might end up driving myself crazy! Who'd have thought this would be where I would agonize? :eek:

Oh and has anyone used gdiapers? They look rather interesting as they have flushable inserts. I intend to use cloth when I am home, but my DH is a bit hesitant and I thought this might be a good compromise when he has diaper duty. They were mentioned in Nov/Dec. Vegetarian Times and I like the concept more so than just disposables.

TIA

jphilg

11-02-2006, 05:12 PM

Griz, With DD, she was in a bassinet/car seat/our bed/whatever worked for the first month or so, then she went into her crib and she's been there ever since.
With Impending Baby, we are planning on stashing him in the Pack 'n Play bassinet (where his big sister has always slept well) until Saskia is ready to move to a bed...3 months or so.

Babies are really flexible where they sleep (well, creative is more like it...lots of babies have REALLY inflexible demands on where they sleep) and you can't always know ahead of time what will work. But one thing is for sure...the crib is not necessarily the gold standard for the first couple of months. If you are planning a month in the first half year, I think holding off on the crib until you are re-settled is a smart idea. You don't want to assemble one of those things twice :D .

lisas3575

11-02-2006, 08:16 PM

Oh and has anyone used gdiapers? They look rather interesting as they have flushable inserts. I intend to use cloth when I am home, but my DH is a bit hesitant and I thought this might be a good compromise when he has diaper duty. They were mentioned in Nov/Dec. Vegetarian Times and I like the concept more so than just disposables.

TIA

Delurking on cloth diapers-- even though I can't really answer your exact question. :D I'm always looking for a chance to plug the Bum Genius (http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=98&products_id=899). No, I don't own stock, ;) but they are fantastic. I wish I'd started out with them and didn't waste time on CPFs and covers. They are spendy per piece but you don't have to replace them as baby grows like Fuzzy Bunz or other pocket dipes. For reviews on the gDipes you might check at Baby Bargains forums. (http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=60)

ggs830

11-02-2006, 08:22 PM

Just a quick post b/f DH and I leave for Jamaica tomorrow morning!! :D

I had my u/s yesterday-- its a BOY! Don't know why, but I was really shocked, but thrilled. I actually cried when I saw the little guy's bits up on the screen! DH has been walking around w/a big grin on his face, and my dad, of all people, is super excited. He loves DD to death, but, after raising a couple daughters, and having a granddaughter, I think he's pleased as punch to finally have a boy in the family.

Also, the baby is finally kicking up a storm, after a couple of weeks of sporadic fluttering. Love that feeling (for now--talk to me again in a few months when he's kicking me in my ribs! ;) )

food girl

11-03-2006, 10:25 AM

I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well!
Veshke, I had spotting with my first pregnancy, which sadly ended in a miscarriage. But! I also had the same spotting with DD, which obviously ended in a baby. It can really freak you out. My OB put my on progesterone, I don't know if it helped or not. I had minor spotting this time, but my OB didn't even check my levels.

This baby is kicking up a storm. It likes to do a little dance on my bladder, cervix, rectum... very odd feelings.

Grizzly, I am re-doing the nursery since I (ahem!) "think" I'm having another girl... I need to get rid of the items I made for dd's nursery. I made everything: bedskirt, diaper storage thingy, some cute curtains and I sewed some different ties on a neutral bumper pad. The fabric is a variety of batiks(Red, Blue, Yellow, Black and purple) and it was really cute and uni-sex. I also painted a very cute painting to go with the whole shebang. Would you, or anyone else reading be interested? I think I have $100 in the fabric. PM me and I will post photos.

Dh and I are heading out for the weekend to a cabin in the mountains. DD is with Nana and I am looking forward to getting to finish a meal for once!

Lisa

PoppyJ

11-03-2006, 03:36 PM

Lisa, I would love for you to post pictures of the nursery. My DH and I are thinking of doing a beach theme since we live near the beach and DH is a surfer. Since this is our first child, I have no idea what I am doing with decorating a nursery (or having a baby for the matter) and am always looking for ideas.

Can I make a request? Can every state what week they are in during their post? I am always scrolling to the top trying to figure out where everyone is in their pregnancy, especially when I am reading about symptoms because I want to know what to expect and when. BTW, I am 14 1/2 weeks.

Things are going well for me. I am starting to show a little, but not too much. It is crazy that people are already starting to rub my belly. :rolleyes: The only thing I am having problems with is fatigue. I am usually needing a nap around 4:00 PM, but it is not too bad.

Have a good weekend everyone.

jphilg

11-04-2006, 11:11 AM

Today comfort overcame vanity and I cracked out the maternity overalls. I just love these pants. They have a ton of room in the belly, still, but I'm so sick of my maternity jeans falling down. So, overalls it is. They actually aren't as unflattering as I remembered.

Things are ok here. I've been cranky and tired a lot lately; poor DH. Heartburn is raging. And I'm going in for a level II U/S on Tuesday because, although the baby looks great, the unidentified mass on my ovary that caused all of the drama during my first pregnancy (it's not a fibroid cyst, it's not a dermoid cyst, so everyone was starting to talk about malignancy when all of a sudden it disappeared) is back. I'm not concerned, yet, but I really hope that this doesn't devolve into the high-stress disaster of two years ago. No more mid-pregnancy MRIs! Right now my big concern is babysitting for the appointment. :p

Still throwing up a couple times a week, but nothing I can't live with. I am having such strong food aversions, still.....thank goodness for cheese and crackers. And juice! I never drink juice when I'm not pregnant (too many cals, no fiber!) but I'm downing gallons of the stuff these days.

Sigh. This second-pregnancy thing is kind of harder than I remember the first one being.

ctd1103

11-05-2006, 11:52 AM

Hi everyone - just popping in to announce the arrival of our daughter, Brooke Ashley, who came a day early (!!) on 10/25/06, weighing 6lbs 11 oz and 19" long - labor and delivery went very well, and we are all enjoying having her home with us. DS is still adjusting, but loves his baby sister - takes his attitude out on me, but to be expected!

veschke

11-05-2006, 01:01 PM

Congratulations!

PoppyJ, I'm just hitting week 8, so all the fun is still ahead. :rolleyes: When people rub your belly feel free to smack them! (I have a strong sense of personal space, in case you can't tell....)

jphilg, I hope they get it figured out - that sounds very stressful.

PoppyJ

11-06-2006, 09:12 AM

Congratulations ctd1103!! Very pretty name.

ellery

11-06-2006, 09:44 AM

Congratulations ctd!!! Can't wait to see pictures!

Jphilg, sorry you're still feeling so sick. :( I'm going to need to get me some of those maternity overalls - I fit into my old ones this weekend, but there was a definite belly sticking out and I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to fit them over my hips. ;)

Poppy, I sympathize on the belly rub. I'm usually quite clear on needing my designated distance of personal space, but so far have only had one person who consistently touches my belly on a regular basis. She's just so nice in general that slapping her hand seems a little overkill, but she may be the only one I allow that privilege... :D

Veschke, how are you feeling these days?

Oh, and I like Poppy's idea on reminding people how far along we are. I too scroll constantly because I can't remember where everyone is either. I'm 16 weeks at this point and am starting to have some stirring thoughts that perhaps we need to think about doing a nursery. I'm so used to thinking of our little condo as a "temporary" house that I haven't done anything to it since we moved in and the thought of changing a room, and how it may fit in with the rest of the decor (beachy) is daunting. Last night I sat in the room that'll be the nursery and just stared at the walls and was overwhelmed. One of these days it's going to feel real. ;)

veschke

11-06-2006, 10:14 AM

No nausea yet (knock wood), thank you for asking, just dreadfully tired. :-) I'm 8 wks and a bit now. EDD is 6/17, so I was slightly off. Had my first appointment this morning, which took forever. It was so nice to see M. again -- she delivered my daughter two years ago, so I was delighted that this first appointment ended up being with her. I am trying to decide whether I should stick with my midwife group or try find something closer to home. Distance vs the comfort factor of having people I know.... Still too soon for a heartbeat, but apparently everything is looking right.

Now we get to decide which of the six thousand screening tests we want to do. They come up with more of them all the time. :rolleyes:

LA98

11-06-2006, 11:08 AM

Congratulations, ctd1103 and family!

Jphilg, sorry you're dealing with that extra stress and hope it turns out to be nothing.

Veschke, I hear you on the familiarity factor. I have the same OB/GYN group as before, but one doctor (of course, the best one of the bunch!) is no longer doing OB, and they brought in a new, young doctor. At least the other 2 are still there, I'm not very good with change when it comes to these things!

Speaking of that new doctor, I saw her for the first time last week and asked for some information on tubal ligation (I'm 37, this will be our second, and a third is just out of the question!) She said, "Oh, just get an IUD, you'll love it." She never actually gave me the info I asked for! That's never happened to me before. It was very strange.

I am 16 weeks now. The all-night bouts of evening sickness are gone, now I just get a little wave of nausea every now and then. Totally manageable! Still wearing my regular clothes, although I'm thinking this is the last week for the pants. :rolleyes: I am scheduled and preregistered at the hospital for my amnio on Thursday, and still very, very nervous about it. I'm thinking the only good thing about it will be getting our first peek at the little one...

Lori

CrystalB

11-06-2006, 12:32 PM

Congrats to ctd1103 on your new baby girl!

I am hanging out here at 20 weeks. I still feel great. I haven't experienced any nausea or fatigue yet. We had the amnio at the beginning of October and all the results came back perfect. It definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, more mental.

We are searching for any and all ideas for nurseries. I have been searching the internet for actual photos of nurseries. If you know of any great nursery websites please post them!!

Crystal

food girl

11-06-2006, 12:57 PM

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid218/pc698a609e76c8442553198cd8bd0f8c2/ec2a2449.jpg I'll see if I can get this to work, you might see a few links before I remember... pregnancy brain you know, or maybe it's the paint fumes from painting dds room...

Permalink: http://www.imagestation.com/8157561/3962184777

If this works, it is a picture of my not-so perfect handywork. I do love the patinting, it is a copy of a Donald Saff painting.

Lisa (26 weeks and chugging the glucose drink tomorrow)

CrystalB

11-06-2006, 01:27 PM

Lisa-

I love your nursery! Thank you for posting your picture, it really helps the old imagination to see other people's creations!

Thanks again! Any one else have a photo to share?

Crystal

jphilg

11-06-2006, 01:55 PM

We didn't get super crazy into decorating the nursery; we just painted the walls the perfect ;) shade of yellow (paint colors are so hard) and stuck with white-painted crib and glider. I used an inexpensive crib -linens set that I found on-line, chose a soft yellow pattern for the glider cushions, and found a braided yellow rug for the floor. I painted a small bookshelf the green from the linen set. I've been really happy with it, and I'm also happy we didn't go crazy decorating because a year later, we are contemplating an apple-green toddler bed that wouldn't have gone with a lot of nursery decor, but will work fine with the yellow walls.

Here's the pre-baby nursery, all ready to go....(little did we know then!)

http://purplecow.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1279

JenZen

11-07-2006, 09:13 AM

Hi guys!

I'm online for a little while ... visiting my parents for a little break in routine.

Anyway, thank you Emily for posting my news!

It's been a busy few weeks in our household. Gabe is adjusting. He loves his baby, but we've had more meltdowns and temper tantrums than usual. He also started waking up at night again in response to the changes. Lovely. One night, I got up with Ada, then an hour later I got up with Gabe, then an hour after that I was up with Ada again. Fun stuff, let me tell you.

So, here's the long and the short of my birth story ...

After playing a wicked game of hide-and-seek with Gabe and Al on Monday night, I started feeling a little funny. At one point, I had squeezed into the bathtub with Gabe, and when Al found us, he wanted to know how I managed to get my very-pregnant-self into the tub with Gabe. :) Anyway, the contractions started around 8 or so that evening after I had put Gabe to bed. Al and I watched "Blair Witch Project" and I contracted throughout the movie. I still wasn't sure if this was it or not, but the contractions were much more intense than the false labor I had had the previous few days. After the movie, I decided to hop in the shower to see if they would stop. Nope. I had three contractions in the shower, so I yelled at Al to call his sister who was our back-up babysitter. I got out of the shower and had a contraction that stopped me in my tracks. At this point they were about 5 minutes apart. Oh, and it was all in my back.

So, Al's sister gets to our house close to 11, and we head to the hospital. We get there and Al forgets to drop me off at the front door and instead makes me walk across the parking lot. Nice.

After being monitored for an hour, the nurse checks, and I'm 6 cm, so I'm definitely staying. After that, I labored in the whirlpool for a little while, but the water was too cool to really help. I did a lot of laboring standing up, and I had Al put pressure on my back because of the back labor.

By the way, for anyone aspiring to have a natural birth, what really helped me was visualization during contractions. You can't focus on the pain ... you have to let your mind go somewhere else. For me, it was trees. Don't ask me why, but I started thinking about every tree I climbed as a kid, and I'd focus on a different one with every contraction.

Anyway, I did accept one shot of Nubain somewhere between 7 and 8 cm because it was taking me a while to get to 10. Somewhere around 5, my dr. checked, and I was almost complete with just a bit of cervix left. The baby was still upside-down, so they told me to try some different positions. I got on my hands and knees and had THE CONTRACTION FROM HELL. It was so painful that I let out a massive yell, which quickly brought the nurse and dr. back in the room. I guess they know when women hit transition. Sure enough. I was complete and ready to push.

I pushed for an hour, and I although very tiring, I felt more in control this time. I could really feel when I was pushing correctly, and I could feel her moving down. When her head was out, I paused for a final contraction and out came Ada. The best part was that I didn't tear at all. Healing was so much easier this time.

So, that's the scoop.

Breastfeeding is going well. My milk came in after 2 days, and I never did get engorged this time around.

Ada is already more than 11 pounds, so my milk must be keeping her happy. She is a very content, well-natured baby.

Good luck to all of you. I will check in with you when I can.

Jen

jphilg

11-08-2006, 09:00 AM

Thanks, Jen, for the birth story! I love to read them.....and congratulations. I anticipate having lots of questions for you in a couple of months.

I had my Level II US yesterday; everything still looks fine with the baby (that was never the problem) and the maternal-fetal medicine guy thinks that the likelihood of my ovarian mass being cancerous is very low. We're going to hold off and wait until I deliver, then deal with when it's not part of a pregnancy. Whew. I feel so much better.

ellery

11-08-2006, 10:32 AM

Good news everywhere! :)

Thanks for posting your birth story Jen. I've recently developed an interest in hearing these... ;)

And glad to hear everything came back okay Jphilg. Whew! Only 3 more weeks till my Level 2. Am hoping I have a similar experience. :)

food girl

11-08-2006, 10:52 AM

Jen, thanks for posting. You deserved a great birthing experience (really, don't we all?) I'm glad that everything went smoothly. I'm glad to hear no tearing or engorging second time around, I hope I have the same experience!

jphilg- I'm glad about your u/s. You know I work in a cancer center and I have to say that your cyst doesn't sound like the typical ovarian ca we see. I know that there are some non-cancerous tumors that can develop during pregnancy. Good luck, i hope it doesn't give you any problems.

I passed my one hour glucose test! I was only 90 - so pass the Halloween candy. Surprisingly I had only gained 2 lbs since the last visit but I feel VAST. At my next visit I have my last Rho-Gam until the baby arrives - yay. I have to start going every two weeks after that too. Can I be at that point already?

Oh, I can't believe I forgot to mention this... my OB's nurse looked at my chart and said "oh, you will have two little girls"!!!!! She immediatly slapped her hand over her mouth when she saw the giant post-it note saying we don't want to know the sex. I assured her that it was ok, that I had already "peeked" but I had to have a serious talk with her that DH does not know and worse, doesn't know that I know. I hope she doesn't let it slip in front of him. I feel better knowing that even if I hadn't peeked I would still know the sex, i feel much less like I'm having an affair. :o

take care,
Lisa

jphilg

11-08-2006, 12:26 PM

Thanks, Lisa, for the reassurance. I've been through this before with DD, so I know that the risk is low, but my mother and grandmother both had ovarian cancer in their 30s (gmother died....) so I tend to get fast-tracked to the cancer testing when anything is amiss. But yeah, this mass is highly organized and very round via sonogram, so they just think its some sort of dermoid. Regardless, I'm not thinking about it again until after bebe.

I'm 23 weeks, BTW. That was a good suggestion and I failed to comply. :eek:

veschke

11-08-2006, 12:31 PM

Sounds like good news from everyone, then. :-) I remember when I hit transition I said, "Oh s***!!!" and the labor nurse laughed -- not in a mean way, but an "Ah, here we go!" sort of fashion, if that makes sense. I ended up with Nubain too, to get me through that part.

As for me today, I am ridiculous. So far I've eaten a bagel with cream cheese/yogurt spread, a handful of Hershey Kisses, two big slices of watermelon, some leftover beef and broccoli from last night, an entire bag of popcorn, and one of those single-serving cheese packages.

And I'm hungry!

sugarbaby

11-08-2006, 02:44 PM

Awesome birth story Jen! I'm so glad you posted it!

I'll be 25 weeks tomorrow, and I had my monthly u/s yesterda. The nutritionist was extremely pleased with my weight gain - 7.5 lbs. this last month! The boys each weigh 1 lb. 9 oz. at this point, which is right on target. They were mooning us all over the place, and we got a great 3D face shot of Baby B. I know it's just an u/s, but a I swear he looks like DH! I'm going to try to upload the pictures. We'll see! Only 6 more weeks until I begin maternity leave! Yipppeeee!!!

Yeah, okay, the files are too large to upload, and I don't know how to make them smaller, am too tired to figure it out, and am hungry and need to go eat! Just picture cherubic little orange babies that you want to squeeze!

Grizzly

11-09-2006, 05:56 AM

A belated congratulations to cttd1103!

Jen, thanks so much for sharing your birth story, very inspiring.

jphilg, glad things look okay and there is not a higher level of concern.

I am hanging in there at 30 weeks. Things are going okay, sleep patterns have gotten a bit erratic this week, but no real issue yet! All in due time, I suppose. We found a crib we like last weekend which offered a huge sense of relief for me. Things are moving right along, the holidays will all be here before I know it.

Have a great weekend everyone, DH and I are headed for a long weekend away - I can't wait.

PoppyJ

11-09-2006, 02:40 PM

Sugarbaby, Good to hear the babies are doing well. I could not imagine carrying twins.

jphilg, good news about your ultrasound.

I am 15 weeks and everything is going well. I have my OB appointment next week and I cannot wait. I noticed that my jeans are starting to get tighter and my belly is really starting to show.

I have a question about breastfeeding. I have heard a lot about what not to eat when you are breastfeeding. Is it true that you cannot eat onion, garlic, chocolate, and broccoli? That is going to make cooking very hard since those a staples in my diet. What about spicy food? I love spicy food and am sad thinking about giving it up while I am breastfeeding.

ggs830

11-09-2006, 02:54 PM

Checking in again--I'm 20 weeks (yay for being halfway through!).

DH and I had a wonderful time on our "babymoon." It was so nice to have some alone time (although I was feeling terribly guilty, b/c poor DD was at home nursing a horrid cold :( ).

Anyways, I saw the doctor yesterday, and after a brief scare b/c she could not find the little guy's heartbeat, she pronounced me healthy and right on track. I forgot to ask, but at what point can you start taking zantac or prilosec? Heartburn has set in, and its starting to really bug.

PoppyJ: WRT to breastfeeding, my .02 cents (and everyone has differing opinions) is that automatically cutting foods out of your diet is a little extreme. W/DD, I continued with a normal diet, and cut back on certain things if it seemed like DD was having issues. The majority of the things you listed as being items that "should" be avoided are foods that can cause gas; if they didn't seem to cause gas in DD, then I didn't avoid them. DD had pretty bad gas for the first few weeks, and I did eventually stop eating some foods (broccolli for sure) for a brief period of time. Once the gas problem seemed to be under control, I reincorporated those foods w/little to no problem.

As far as spicy food goes--again, I think it depends on your baby, and his/her reaction to what you eat. I never discontinued eating spicy food, and didn't really notice a difference w/DD. I really think the best approach is to try things out on your child, and if you notice that your child is having problems, evaluate and make a decision then.

HTH!

jphilg

11-09-2006, 03:35 PM

Poppy, I'll echo Gouri's thoughts. I didn't give up anything while bfeeding DD. I was working with a lactation consultant on some other issues, and she really recommended maintaining a varied, spicy, whatever-you-like diet, and making adjustments only when you experience a problem. I never experienced any problems, so I never adjusted. I don't eat a ton of broccoli, but I did (and do) eat lots of raw veggies and also a fair amount of cabbage, onions, lots of garlic and spice and I never noticed a difference in DD's gassiness. I have a friend, though, whose son had a dairy thing, so she had to give up dairy. But pre-emptive diet limits are unnecessary, in my opinion and in that of the expert (only one, but a well-thought-of lactation consultant) I spoke with.

veschke

11-10-2006, 05:11 AM

Is it true that you cannot eat onion, garlic, chocolate, and broccoli? That is going to make cooking very hard since those a staples in my diet. What about spicy food?

Not necessarily. For the first couple of months, chocolate seemed to upset L., but it passed fairly quickly, and nothing else I ate (up to and including vindaloo) ever seemed to bother her in the slightest. It may be one of the 10,000, "well, it depends...." things about babies.

ETA: *sigh* I had a large Dunkin Donuts chai with breakfast and now I feel guilty about it. :(

MinEaston

11-10-2006, 07:08 AM

delurking re: foods to avoid while breastfeeding

ditto to what the pp's said. I reduced my dairy intake for a couple of months (Anna was about 3 months old at the time) because I noticed an increase in gassiness and fussiness if I ate too much. That was all I didn't eat (well, other than the obvious alcohol consumption). And I think her issues were more the quantity of dairy intake - for instance, one day I had cheese & crackers with lunch, pasta w/mascarpone, and then a healthy bowl of ice cream for dessert :eek: . Next day, she was a mess (relatively speaking).

HTH!

PoppyJ

11-10-2006, 09:48 AM

That is good to hear about breastfeeding. I was thinking that would be the case but I needed reassurance that I might not have to give up my See's candy. :D

food girl

11-10-2006, 02:39 PM

Poppy, I didn't give up any of my favorite foods. I ate a barbeque sandwich and a garlicy spinach salad while I was in the hospital. Maybe I started DD off with it...

The only time Anna ever acted like the BM wasn't to her liking was after the first time I went back to the gym. I have heard that lactic acid can be expressed in your milk. After that first trip to the gym she was fine, I wonder if it was getting used to the slightly sweaty "apparatus" too. :D

I'm really wondering how I'm going to BF with a 22 month old running around. I guess Millions of women have done it, so can I.

Lisa

veschke

11-13-2006, 03:20 PM

I guess I will not be on this thread after all. After my bleeding recurred this weekend, I have been diagnosed as an ectopic pregnancy; I go in tomorrow for surgery. We are very upset, of course, but I suppose things could be worse.

Good luck to everyone else, and I hope to be back at some point.

PoppyJ

11-13-2006, 03:27 PM

I am so sorry for your loss, veschke. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

jphilg

11-13-2006, 06:02 PM

(((veschke and family))). My thoughts are with you. Take care of yourself.

LA98

11-13-2006, 06:33 PM

Oh veschke, I'm so sorry for your loss.....

zippy478

11-14-2006, 07:12 AM

(((veschke))).....I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.

MinEaston

11-14-2006, 07:33 AM

((((veschke and family))))

ggs830

11-14-2006, 09:57 AM

(((((Veschke)))))

So sorry to hear about this. :(

ellery

11-14-2006, 09:57 AM

I didn't see this until today.

Veschke, I'm so sorry. You and your family are in my thoughts. ((()))

veschke

11-14-2006, 02:15 PM

Thank you for your kind thoughts, everyone. The surgery this morning went fine, and I'm back at home now, and not even too uncomfortable.

Bless you all.

ellery

11-14-2006, 02:20 PM

Thank you for your kind thoughts, everyone. The surgery this morning went fine, and I'm back at home now, and not even too uncomfortable.

I was hoping you'd check back in. I've been thinking about you all day. Sending a few extra prayers up for you and your little one tonight.

Hugs to you.

Grizzly

11-15-2006, 07:48 AM

(((veschke))) just echoing and providing some prayers. The loss for me hurt more than I imagined it could. Take care of yourself and DH.

food girl

11-15-2006, 01:51 PM

Oh Veschke, I am so sorry.

You and your family are in my thoughts

sugarbaby

11-15-2006, 03:00 PM

(((veschke))) My heart and my prayers go out to you and your family. I am so, so sorry.

Chelle D

11-17-2006, 10:40 AM

(((veschke))) I am so sorry. You and your family will be in my prayers. I have had two myself and the boards on this site helped me - http://www.ectopic.org/ Take time that you need to grieve and please take to your doctor about checking your other tube for any problems. But now it's important to just recover. Please PM me if you have any questions though, I would be happy to answer any I can.

veschke

11-17-2006, 11:42 AM

Thanks, everyone. We're doing okay -- I'm feeling much better physically, and should be back at work on Monday. Emotionally we're both a bit rocky of course, but our friends and family are a great help, and we're managing. I hope getting back into routine will help a bit. The affected tube had to be partially removed, but the doctor said that the other one looks fine. I'll go in next month for a follow-up. Not trying to think ahead too far right now.

I'll probably not be checking the thread regularly going forward, but I do appreciate all the kind thoughts and words, and wish all of you the very best. If you ever need surgery in Cambridge, MA, Mt. Auburn is full of very nice people.

sugarbaby

11-17-2006, 03:25 PM

Can you get pedicures while pregnant? I thought I remembered hearing something about not being able to do that.

jphilg

11-18-2006, 05:40 AM

I get lots of pedicures! I can't think of any reason not to, other than maybe the thing about contaminated instruments; a staph infection would be a big deal deal during pregnancy. If you are concerned and don't have a history with the salon doing the pedicure, just ask them not to use the razor-skin shaver doohicky.

PoppyJ

11-20-2006, 11:32 AM

sugarbaby

11-20-2006, 02:52 PM

I am in my 16th week and I cannot believe it. Man, has time just flown by!! I have a few timing questions:

1) When do the killer cravings kick in? I am still waiting to send my DH out for pickles and ice cream. :p

2) When should I register for baby stuff? And how in the world do I know what I need?

3) When should my sister throw me a baby shower? This is the first baby in our family and we are so clueless.

1) I'm almost 27 weeks and still haven't really had any! Everyone is different! I've had food aversions, but no super strong cravings. A mild craving for olives that is pretty much over now.

2) Some things to consider: Do you want to know the sex of the baby? If so, consider waiting until then so you can register for gender-specific stuff, and then do it ASAP. If not, I say go for it now (it's really fun, but it's "one more thing to do" when you've already got a lot going on)! That way people have plenty of time to get you a gift. In terms of what you need, I just asked other mothers, and then figured on some basics (crib bedding, onesies, bottles, blankets, etc.) AND registered for some fun stuff. If you register at Babies R Us, they have a list of things you "need", many of which you actually don't, but the list is helpful. A lot of stuff we registered for we never dreamed we'd get, but we went for it anyway (e.g., the double stroller that comes with a car-seat) and, because our twins are the first grandchildren, we got it. No matter when you register, don't hold back or say, "We shouldn't register for that." Go all out on your registry!

3) Depends on your style, how easy or difficult your pregnancy is, how large of a shower, and how far you have to travel. I just had one a couple of weeks ago, and we drove to the next state over; we didn't want to wait any longer because I'm starting to get pretty uncomfortable. Some people do one after the baby is born, so that way everyone who comes can "meet the baby." The downside of that is that you may not have the baby supplies you need when baby arrives. I say whenever the heck you want, what fits with the most people's schedules, etc. Have fun! (sorry that was so long!)

ggs830

11-21-2006, 07:22 AM

I am in my 16th week and I cannot believe it. Man, has time just flown by!! I have a few timing questions:

1) When do the killer cravings kick in? I am still waiting to send my DH out for pickles and ice cream. :p

2) When should I register for baby stuff? And how in the world do I know what I need?

3) When should my sister throw me a baby shower? This is the first baby in our family and we are so clueless.

1) Everyone is different, and some people never get any cravings. W/my first pregnancy, I had very bad m/s, almost throughout the pregnancy, and so I never craved anything (in fact, I was lucky if I could ever find anything to eat! :rolleyes: ). This time around, I started having cravings when my m/s ended, around 15-16 weeks (I'm 22 weeks today!). I've been craving really really spicy food, chocolate ice cream, and my mom's lentil soup. Luckily, these cravings have not occurred simultaneously. :p

2) Ditto what sugarbaby said. On the issue of how do you know what to register for, I found 2 things very helpful. First, a book: Baby Bargains (can't remember the authors). This book reviews all the baby products out there for quality, cost, safety, etc., so it was a really good starting point. DH and I took this book w/us when we went to register, and we saw many other couples carrying it around as well. The other thing I did to prepare was talk to other first time moms. It's easy to figure out the big stuff you'll need: car seats, strollers, pack n'plays, bouncers, etc. It's the little things that you wouldn't think of that other moms can help out with.

3) This really depends on you and your sister. My shower was very very late in my pregnancy (due to family scheduling issues), and I actually gave birth about 3 weeks later. If I had to do it again, I would have had my shower a month or so earlier. I liked that I was "so" pregnant and close to delivery, because of the excitement that generated, so I wouldn't have wanted a shower too early in the pregnancy. But, having it so close to delivery meant that I didn't get everything organized b/f DD was born. If it's important to you to have everything ready before the delivery, I would suggest having a shower early enough so that you have time to organize the nursery. Whatever you decide, just relax and enjoy yourself!

zippy478

11-21-2006, 09:38 AM

I'm hanging out here at 36ish weeks. Can't believe that I'm almost full term and this baby can come at any time! I'm hoping to make it at work until 12/15 and then have a week to just be a slug on the couch :) but we'll see if the baby cooperates. I've actually told him he's not allowed out until 12/27 and we all know how well they listen :rolleyes: :p

I don't remember being so sore with DS #1. I'm having lots of BH contractions and am struggling to move some mornings. I *finally* got a maternity swimsuit (with a month to go - HA) and hope to get into the pool at the gym tonight or tomorrow. I know that even just 15 minutes will help me feel better.

As for the questions posted.....
1. Never really had any unusual/strong cravings but I would say the second trimester I started to. But it was never anything that I *had* to have immediately.

2. Ask your friends what to register for. Do a search on previous pregnancy threads as I know it has come up in the past. Do a search on the new moms thread, too. I can't remember when we registered but I know it was sometime in the second trimester. You can really do it at anytime - and actually you may want to do it before the holiday season really kicks in because then you can direct people to that who may want to buy the baby a Christmas present. I second (third?) the idea to register for everything you think you'll need. The big things like the swing, playpen, etc. may be bought by people that go in on one present. Oh yea - and I suggest going more than once to the baby store - you will be overwhelmed by everything and all the choices/stuff...especially since it's the first baby in the family. I think we went two or three times before we finally finished our registry. And, I suggest checking out more than one place, too. Some stores have better/more "consumer friendly" registries/return policies than others.

3. I think timing wise - it's typically the same as a bridal shower - about 2 months before the due date. With DS #1 - mine was in early August for a late Oct. due date. It was nice to have it because then we still had time to pick up stuff that hadn't been given to us...and I had time to get the thank yous out before the baby came.

Hope everyone else is doing well!
Maura :)

PoppyJ

11-21-2006, 10:18 AM

Thank you everyone for your responses. This helps so much!

LA98

11-21-2006, 10:29 AM

More answers to Poppy's questions:
1) Never had any cravings with either pregnancy.

2) I second (or third?) the Baby Bargains book and asking moms what they used. I registered kind of early last time, probably at 5 months or so, which was great because it allowed me to change my mind on things a dozen or so times. :D I also had a couple of friends check it over and let me know what I was missing or could get rid of, which was very helpful. On my first outing with DS, a very pregnant woman came up to me in a store and asked if I would mind telling her the most useful item we had and what items we didn't have enough of. It was pretty funny, but I was happy to help her!

3) I agree, showers are usually two months before the due date.

I am 18 weeks now. Survived my amnio last week, results came back negative and baby looks great, and we are having a BOY! We're thrilled although I had to adjust my thinking a bit -- this pregnancy was so completely different than DS's that it had lulled me into thinking it was a girl. (So that theory goes right out the window!) I'm very happy that DS will have a brother, and the practical side of me is happy to be able to reuse all his stuff. :rolleyes: :) I have a follow-up ultrasound next week because the heart and kidneys are not as developed at 16 weeks when the amnio is done, so they like to get a better look a couple of weeks later. Felt a few little flutters or light kicks the other day, which was wonderful! Also getting some round ligament pains that literally stop me in my tracks. Doctor said the pain is probably worse because of scar tissue from the last C section. Yay. :rolleyes:

Lori

sugarbaby

11-22-2006, 01:30 PM

I passed my 1-hour blood glucose test! Yippeee!!!

I'm 27 weeks, and Baby A is still breech; I'm begging him to turn so that I don't have to have a C-section. And, alas, I think I'm going to get stretch marks; some old ones that I have on my hips from when I hit a major growth spurt in high school are starting to expand and turn a little red. Dang it! Oh well. It will be worth it. :)

The doctors are thrilled over my weight gain. 40 pounds so far! Yikes! At least 10 more to go!

Grizzly

11-26-2006, 08:41 AM

Sugarbaby, yeah on passing the GTT!!! From someone who failed the one hour I can tell you what a wonderful thing it is to pass the first time. Sorry that one is still breech, but hopefully there's time still.

LA98 - congratulations on the boy! We suspect that we are having one as well, but time will tell... That should be a lot of fun, I imagine your DS is thrilled.

I am 33 weeks tomorrow and on a major nesting kick. It has been nice to finally have some time to just go through everything and get a bit more organized before baby stuff starts arriving en masse.

I am going to throw an idea out there on baby showers, I am not a fan of any type of shower (big family drama and coordination so I was saving myself, my sister and SIL some pain) and we live 6 states away from both our families, so I am having a "Special Delivery Book Shower" to fill the baby's library. It is essentially an invitation for friends and families to buy a book (each has a designated letter for the title to begin with so that they can create a library from A to Z) and then they inscribe it to the baby and mail it. It is one of those on your own time/own terms which I find very refreshing. Also since we don't know the gender it is extremely gender neutral friendly. If anyone wants more info, or the invite text just PM me. I was sent an invitation for one and just thought it was such a great idea.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with much to be thankful for.

meslgh

11-27-2006, 09:21 AM

I can't believe the month is almost over, and I have yet to post here. I've been lurking, and composing mental posts, without actually typing.

So, I'm at 37 weeks, and the time has just flown. I'm feeling VERY pregnant these days (DH said I said that a month ago, and I responded that I only thought I was very pregnant then). Although I am looking forward to not being pregnant, I keep telling this little one to wait just a little bit longer, because I still have so much to do to get ready.

One piece of advice on baby showers; register early. My staff threw a baby shower for me, and since I didn't register anywhere until around a week before the shower, they were kind of on their own for picking things out.

zippy478

11-27-2006, 10:00 AM

I'm hanging out here at 36/37 weeks, too. Hard to believe that I will have a baby by the new year. Yikes. So much to do still!

We're having another boy and date wise, they are only about 6 weeks apart so we'll be able to use most of the clothes and stuff from DS. But, in order to use that stuff, we have to go through it and wash it and get it ready as it's been packed away for about 2 years now. So, that's been on my list of things to do for about 3 weeks now. Sigh. It'll get there. We're trying to borrow a bassinet so I gotta get that figured out. We have a mattress and everything for the crib but have to pick up some "spare" stuff.

We also have to figure out the "who watches DS while I'm in labor plan" especially if labor starts in the middle of the night. The in-laws are 45 minutes away (definitely NOT ideal to wait for them) but there have been two neighbors who have offered to help out so we're going to talk to them about how serious they are and see if we can firm it up. If it happens during the day - not as critical as DS will be in daycare and we can have someone pick him up and bring him back to the house or whatnot. DH will likely go home at night while I'm in the hospital so he will be able to pick up/drop off DS until I get out of the hospital. What an incredible amount of coordination for 48 hours!

Also have to pick up some diapers/formula. I don't think I will nurse at all. I only nursed DS for 3 weeks and don't have a desire either way. I may try it and see how it goes but I also know that the hospital will keep the baby in the nursery and give formula at night if we want and I intend to take advantage of that.

Also have to pack my hospital bag. Sigh. So much to do...so little time/energy. Ugh. I'll get there though.

Hope everyone is doing well!
Maura :)

jheaphy

11-28-2006, 02:16 AM

Hi everyone,

Well I haven't posted in a couple of months! I thought I would be on here more often, but I have been dealing with a pregnancy discrimination charge against my employer that was completely unexpected. It's a long story, but needless to say, things have been a lot more stressful during this pregnancy than I anticipated. :(

Just wanted to say that I am 26 weeks, and we did find out at our ultrasound last month that we are having a boy! DD is 10 (we spaced these kiddos out just a little, huh?) and was really hoping for a girl. But she is excited now, so I'm glad we found out.

Take care, and, hopefully, I'll be able to pop back in more often than I have been!

Jennifer

ellery

11-29-2006, 05:54 AM

Another quiet one checking back in. ;) I can't believe how many boys it seems like we're having... and it seems like some babies are due any day now. Yay!

Am 19 weeks here, back from my Level 2 u/s on Monday, which was entertaining, to say the least. DH and I had just settled in to watch the action on the big screen TV in the u/s room, and hello, saw quite the view of the baby's parts. :eek: Loud and proud, he's a BOY. !!!! :D :D :D I don't know why that happened to be the first image that popped onto the screen, but I guess our little bugger was excited to be showing off for his dad, who hasn't been to an u/s since 6 weeks. All the innards looked good, although I need to go back in 4 weeks to get better pics of the heart (the little guy kept curling up away from us, so we didn't get as good a view as the technician wanted). There were no Downs' indicators, though, so we opted to skip the amnio. That was certainly a tough decision, but I guess for better or worse, we figure this is our baby, so knowing something wouldn't change anything.

Started the shopping madness over Thanksgiving with the in-laws, and have encountered the confusion of what to buy for baby. I got really stuck on buying the infant car seat & compatible stroller, and then having to upgrade once the baby hits 30 pounds. Everyone kept telling me that doing that, versus buying the one-size-fits-all car seat is just a personal decision, but I'm still wishing for something to fall out of the sky and tell me definites. I don't have any idea what my personal preference is - this is my first time! :rolleyes:

Okay, this is long enough. Just wanted to update and say hi to everyone!

:)

Leah

MinEaston

11-29-2006, 07:26 AM

I got really stuck on buying the infant car seat & compatible stroller, and then having to upgrade once the baby hits 30 pounds. Everyone kept telling me that doing that, versus buying the one-size-fits-all car seat is just a personal decision, but I'm still wishing for something to fall out of the sky and tell me definites. I don't have any idea what my personal preference is - this is my first time! :rolleyes:
delurking, but not falling out of the sky :D , to give you my opinion.
At one point I too thought I would want the one-size-fits-all. We ended up with the infant car seat and two bases (Graco Snugride, FWIW), since DH and I both would be transporting DD. And my parents could fasten the Snugride in their car with just a seatbelt, too. As it turns out, DD is little, and we were able to use the infant seat until she was just past 1 year old - she outgrew the seat in length (26" limit on mine) before she outgrew it in weight. We loved the ability to just carry her into places if she'd fallen asleep in the carseat. She actually even slept in it a few nights when she had a stuffy nose early on, so that her head was elevated. I had a winter cover for it, too, which was convenient for transport in the cold weather early on (she was born at the end of Feb 2005).

Of course, you'll read on the new moms, scooter and wobbler threads that there are many others out there whose children outgrew their infant seats much earlier than my DD.

mst

11-29-2006, 08:09 AM

Leah-

I think these items stress out every mom-to-be. It is your first time buying something "important" for your baby.

My two cents- the best advice I got was that you will use different strollers as your family and life change. Don't think that you need to get the one *perfect* stroller. Ilyssa is a year old, and we already have three strollers- and I am a babywearer, so I wear her most of the time.

The nice thing about an infant seat is that you can take it out of the car when the baby is sleeping. You can get a carseat that the wheels snap into. People are always selling them on craig's list because you can't use them for that long. It is a good Craig's List buy, because it is just what the carseat is snapped into, so there are no issues of the previous baby wearing it out, or being drooled on, etc.

I would suggest that you figure out what features matter to you. Like, I wanted a light stroller. I was willing to pay whatever, as long as it was light. My car seat did not match the stroller, because they were different brands. I was ok with that, since I just wanted light! (My stroller weighs less than Snap and Go's, so I did not get a Snap and Go.) I have a snack tray on my stroller, which is a great feature. I never thought I would feed my child on the go, but it is helpful to keep her occupied. Like, I went to the doctor, and kept Ilyssa in her stroller with cheerios. I don't have a drink holder, and my under basket is not too big. But, it is light! :) My DH made me lift strollers at the store onto high shelves (like an SUV). I realized how much it mattered to me, and easily gave up other features. But, since you live in a warmer climate, you might want to go for walks more. In which case, you might want a sturdier stroller. My stroller is definitely for malls, and I have a jogging stroller for when I do walks (your baby has to be about 6+ months for most).

Whatever stroller/car seat you buy, it will be the right one. They all have to pass safety standards, and are safe. Good luck!

jphilg

11-29-2006, 08:36 AM

Ellery, I totally understand where you are coming from on the whole "why would I buy this thing for 6 months" bit.....before DD arrived, I just couldn't get my head around it. I really resisted buying or even registering for things that seemed to have a really short use-life. But once the baby comes, your perspective on this is likely to change. For instance, we didn't register for a baby swing because it didn't seem like most people used them for very long. Well, at 11pm one night DH went out and bought one at the all-night Target, and even though we only used it for about 3 weeks, it was the best 70 dollars ever spent! Just an example....similarly, it pains me to buy nice 40 shoes for my toddler that she'll outgrow in 3 months, but, what are you going to do? Babies grow fast and change a lot, and despite my attempts at a "low-stuff" parenting plan, sometimes you just have to spring for stuff that you'll only get a few months out of.

That said, I wouldn't even think twice about getting an infant car seat....they are just so useful. As Min described, they are so much easier to move from car to car, with or without an extra base. Plus, you'll use it as an infant carrier at least as much as a car seat....DD slept in hers for the first month. You don't need to get the Graco travel system; we just got a cheap Snap-n-Go (and look into borrowing one or getting one off Craig's list), but we didn't even use *that* much either. I found that a Bjorn or a sling is a MUCH easier way to carry an infant than is a stroller. And I'm not an "attachment parent" from a philosophical standpoint; I just found it easier. I walked, traveled, and shopped with DD in the Bjorn until she was 4 or 5 months, and only then did I break out the stroller (in our case, a MacLaren Techno-XT which has been great for our needs).

My 2cents: it would be a mistake not to get the infant car seat. Remember, you don't have to have everything before the baby comes; you can hold off and buy things as you decide that you need them. Yes, it's nice to get them as gifts, but overall baby equipment is not all that expensive and it's not that much of a hardship to buy it yourself.

Happy planning! Enjoy the peace.

zippy478

11-29-2006, 09:51 AM

Leah....Adding my 2cents as well to the infant seat discussion:

Ease of getting in and out of car - it was a pain for me to get DS in and out of the rear-facing bigger car seat because I have a two door.
Ease of going out to dinner/grocery store/etc. - we never stopped going to dinner just because we had a baby...yes, we adjusted a little but it was nice to be able to leave him in the carseat and put him either on a high chair or on the booth next to us. Also helped if he got fussy - infant seat doubled as a rocker/swing. Much easier to me to put him in the cart at the grocery store and pile groceries around him as I was home with him for a while and would have to run errands. Also easier to run those little errands like the post office, bank, etc. without having to get him in and out of a rear-facing seat.
You can also do as others suggested and only get the seat and not the stroller. We went with the travel system but I see where the bigger stroller that comes with that system is too heavy at times. I still use the bigger stroller and he's 2...sometimes it's easier to have him in that than an umbrella stroller. I also found that it was easier to transfer him from car to car because you can strap it in with or without a base and if the inlaws were taking him for a few hours/the night - they didn't have to worry about having a bigger car seat.

Long and short - I highly recommend it as it came in VERY handy for us.

Oh yea - and congrats on the boy!

Let us know what you decide!
Maura :)

ellery

11-30-2006, 06:04 AM

Wow - such great advice! You guys are so great!

And I'm officially sold on the infant car seat idea. Whew! One decision down... :rolleyes:

I think the part that was getting me the most was the whole idea of, what? 3-4 months later I've got to buy something else? Obviously I haven't stopped to think much about a baby growing out of clothes and all of that either... ;) I've been so focused on worrying about making it to the next milestone pregnancy-wise - not miscarrying, the Level 2, etc. that I kinda forgot about the stuff that comes after he's actually born!

The SIL's have both emailed me recently, however and are giving me lists of things they can hand me down, so that is very very nice. I do believe there was an infant car seat on the list - yay!

Now all I've got on the agenda is our babymoon cruise next week. I'm not terribly excited about baring my Caspar-like complexion, but a tanning bed is definitely out, and I'm not sure how I feel about using a self-tanner, but, oh well. Hopefully I won't scare the other passengers too much with my glowing self. :D

zippy478

11-30-2006, 07:20 AM

Leah - in searching through some old posts to try to refresh my memory of what happened last time, I came across this list (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=64073&page=5&pp=30) and posts re: what you need/don't need for baby. Maybe that will help you out a bit. It was on page 5 and it was pretty informative.

ellery

11-30-2006, 08:20 AM

Wow Zippy - thank you so much for digging up that thread. That is an AMAZING list that RunnerKim put together - I just printed it out.

The two things she said that I found most interesting were about the baby bumpers for the cribs not being recommended due to SIDS... I thought you needed the bumpers so they didn't hurt themselves on the sides. Is there an age where bumpers are needed? And the other one was about her not using the baby bath but just bathing with the baby in the bathtub. I like that idea! It certainly seems more useful and less scary than bathing them in the sink or something like that.

You guys are a lifesaver. :)

zippy478

11-30-2006, 08:45 AM

Leah - no problem. I was digging through that thread because I was due with DS 10/29/04 and I was trying to find some info re: labor/delivery and my specific experience last time since I can't remember! :)

We used the bumper but when he started moving around more, we took it off for a while. I dont' know that you really *need* a bumper but I'm not sure what the current school of thought is on it.

We were given a baby tub but we barely used it. I found it more awkward and scary to maneuver with it...the whole bending over, picking them up, etc. The kitchen sink worked well - especially once he could sit up on his own. DH took him into the shower with him (and still does) and it was scary at first (slippery baby) but I would stay in the bathroom with them to be an extra set of hands if needed. At first, you only give them sponge baths anyway and even after that - we only bathed him maybe every three days and did sponge baths in between.

Maura :)

ggs830

11-30-2006, 09:29 AM

The two things she said that I found most interesting were about the baby bumpers for the cribs not being recommended due to SIDS... I thought you needed the bumpers so they didn't hurt themselves on the sides. Is there an age where bumpers are needed? And the other one was about her not using the baby bath but just bathing with the baby in the bathtub. I like that idea! It certainly seems more useful and less scary than bathing them in the sink or something like that.

You guys are a lifesaver. :)

We had a traditional bumper (that came with our crib set) that we used until DD was about 5-6 months old, which was about when she started to roll over. We took it out after I found her rolled over so that her face was smushed into the bumper. We were bumper-less for a few days, and then one night, we woke to her screaming-- she had rolled over and gotten her little hand caught between the slats. So, we bought a breathable bumper-- basically a mesh bumper, unpadded, that is used to prevent hands and feet from going through the slats. We got ours at Target (I think).

As for tubs, we have a tub that can be used up to about age 2. We've been using it quite regularly since DD was about 4 months old. Prior to that, our primary method of bathing was a sponge bath on the changing table-- our ped. recommended limiting real baths to prevent drying out her skin (I think). We occasionally used the tub for a real bath, and didn't really have any problem with it. We have tried, when traveling, to bathe DD w/o the tub-- I took her into the shower w/me, and once we used the sink. I found it very difficult due to her slipperiness, and general inability to help out-- i.e. by sitting still, or (when she was younger) to sit upright on her own.

Hope that helps.

food girl

11-30-2006, 10:55 AM

I had this tub baby tub (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-2/qid=1164908912/ref=sr_1_2/602-0497101-8220663?ie=UTF8&asin=B000067EH7)

It is a whopping $17 at target. I loved it. It fits over your sink so you don't have to lift it once it is full and it drains into the sink. It also comes with a mesh "hammock" that fits over the whole thing for when they are really little and you just want to sponge them off without submerging the belly button. I would fill the whole tub with water and just put soapy water in the little cup like area at the bottom (I think it's intended purpose is to hold bottles of soap/lotion?). It is nice too because you can use it once they can sit up, you just face them in the opposite direction. I tried giving Anna a bath in the sink and tub and I thought I was going to lose my grip on her both times. You can take your hands off the baby while it's in this tub if you need too - and trust me, you will occasionally need to grab something!

Strollers - I have 4. I have the Eddie Bauer travel system, I like the carseat but the stroller was total crap! I have an in-step jogger that stays on the front porch for walks because I kept stepping on the wheels of the other strollers when i would get up any speed. I bought it at a consignment sale for $25. I like the jogger with a hand brake, but you can't have the hand brake and a front swivel wheel. So I have the hand brake and strong abs from having to maneuver the stroller around curves and corners. I have a chico umbrella stroller because I wanted something super lightweight and with a BIG sun shade. I don't use this one much. I have a 10 year old hand-me-down, used by 4 kids graco stroller. I use it at the mall and park. It looks pretty bad, even after I cleaned it up and armor-alled all of the plastic. But, it was FREE and it has a huge basket, snack tray, drink holder and Anna likes it because it really sits her up straight.

I'm not sure if I'm going to invest in a double stroller yet, I may wait and see how # 2 likes a sling. As you can imagine, we don't have room for another stroller!!

Lisa